


Missing Pieces

by lovealways21



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-20
Updated: 2013-10-04
Packaged: 2017-12-15 15:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 39,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/850886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovealways21/pseuds/lovealways21
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two years after leaving Forks, Bella returns, still human. But, things aren't like they used to be. Everyone, including Bella, is in for a big shock when the truth comes out. She's not sure why she's there. But, with the help of her best friend...her sun and some unwanted nightmares she's determined to put all of the missing pieces back together again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is set two years after BD, but only everything up to the wedding happened. The honeymoon and everything that followed DID NOT happen.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything...well, except for the plot I guess.

I wasn't sure why, but something was pulling me back to Forks.

The past two years of my life had been as if they had never existed. The last thing I remembered was the newborn battle, but after that...nothing. It was all a completely blank slate in my mind. It was like my mind had been wiped clean.

The Cullen's had told me when I first woke up (from what they said was a two year coma) that I had been in an almost fatal car accident after I chose Edward and left with them to start a new life. They said that I had amnesia and that's why I didn't remember anything that happened between the newborn battle and my accident.

But something just wasn't right about all of it. Something inside me screamed that they weren't telling me everything. If anything they had told me to begin with was even the truth at all.

I wasn't sure why Forks was where I was being pulled to. However, I could feel it in my gut that something in Forks could be what would help piece the missing pieces of the truth together again.


	2. Chapter 1 - Returning Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything...well, except for the plot I guess.

Driving passed the "Welcome to Forks" sign, I couldn't help but wonder what exactly I was in for?

Two years.

Two long years.

Two long years of having no contact with anyone from my past.

Two long years that to be quite honest I hadn't even had contact with reality in, period.

Two long years that surely everyone in Forks and La Push had heard nothing about what condition I was in.

If any of them had heard about my condition then I'm sure I would've woken up in Forks and not in Alaska with the Cullen's. There is simply no way Charlie wouldn't want me to be in Forks if I was hurt. I was his only daughter after all.

I drove down the familiar main road of Forks taking in the scenery. Not surprisingly, everything was the same as it was the last time I saw it. I smiled at the thought of being back in Forks after so long. Despite the constant rain and not too much to do around town, Forks was home. I hadn't been awake for more than a week yet and I still missed Forks even without having realized it. It was great to be home again. I just hoped that everybody would understand why I hadn't called them to check in at all. Oh, who was I kidding? How could they not understand when I told them I had been in a coma this whole time. No one with a conscience could make something as serious as that up.

After driving for a few more minutes, I looked to my right and slowed down my rental car. It was the police station. And my dad's patrol car was parked outside. I unconsciously slowed down more and pulled into the parking lot, parking next to his car. I knew that maybe waiting until he was of duty and at home would be the wiser thing to do, but I just had to see him. It had been two years since I'd last seen or heard from him and my heart broke at the thought.

The feeling and the thought made me wonder why all of those years ago I had wanted so badly to willingly leave all my friends and family behind just to become a vampire like Edward. Had I really been that stupid and naïve? If this was how I would feel had that accident not happened and I had become a vampire...then as screwed up as it may sound, I'm glad everything happened the way it did. The sorrow, grief, and pain I was feeling right now would've been much worse to deal with for the rest of eternity. Apparently being in a coma had not only still made me grow up but it had also given me some perspective without me realizing it until just now.

I took a deep breath as I shut off the car and got out, making sure to lock the door behind me. Small town and at the police station or not, I still couldn't be too sure that someone wouldn't break in if I left it unlocked. The last thing I needed was to have to pay for a broken into and ruined rental car on top of paying for renting the car in the first place. Knowing my luck, that's exactly what would have happened. Klutzy and unlucky Bella. Those two parts of me would never go away; That was a given.

Slowly, I made my way into the station. When I walked inside, I immediately became the center of attention. It made my insides scream in protest. I had never been, and never would be, the type of person who liked having everyone's attention on me. It just wasn't me. The looks on the faces of the people who were there were looks of those who had just seen a ghost or a dead animal on the side of the road. I was uncomfortable but just because the looks on their faces made me feel uneasy didn't mean that I didn't understand the looks that I was getting. I had been gone for two years and now I was suddenly back again without a single word of an explanation. I'd be looking at me that way, too.

After a few moments of just standing there looking and feeling like a deer caught in headlights, I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat and opened my mouth to ask, "Does anyone know where my dad is?"

The few people in the station all pointed towards his office as they did not find it necessary to say anything.

I nodded at them and smiled briefly. "Thank you."

Then I practically had to push myself towards the door at the back of the station. I knocked on it softly and waited for a response. When I didn't get a response after a few seconds I cautiously put my hand on the knob and turned it, pushing the door open and sticking my head inside.

"Dad." I breathed out upon seeing him sitting behind his desk working intently on whatever was in front of him.

At the sound of my voice the pen in his hand fell out of his hand and his head shot up. His eyes widened and for what felt like a long minute, he just scared at me with an awestruck expression on his face. It was as if he couldn't begin to believe that he was actually seeing me.

"Bella? Am I...? Are you...?" He couldn't seem to find a single train of thought that he could stick to.

Charlie shook his head and blinked his eyes a few times, It was as if he thought I'd disappear and be revealed as just a pigment of his imagination.

"You are really...you are really here?" he asked once he was able to string along more than one or two words to form a sentence.

I nodded and walked in, fully closing the door behind me as I felt the stinging of tears filling my eyes. They were happy tears, so that was good.

"Yes, dad. It's me. I'm here."

Before I could even process what was happening, he was out of his chair and rounding his desk. He was in front of me in an instant, pulling me into a tight bear hug.

I was shocked into complete stillness at first because neither Charlie nor I were usually very touchy feely people. But I guess that given the circumstances I understood what the hug was about. With that thought, I relaxed into the hug and wrapped my arms around him, hugging him back.

"I missed you, Bella," he whispered once he pulled away from me.

"I missed you, too, dad," I replied sincerely.

"Why didn't you call? Why didn't you let me know you were okay?" Charlie asked suddenly switching into full blown concerned father mode.

I avoided looking at him. I wasn't sure if I could tell him the truth...well, a lie...I myself didn't know what the truth was at the moment. If my intuition was right then the truth wasn't what the Cullen's had told me. Plus, I didn't want to hurt Charlie any worse than he already had been. He'd never forgive himself for not being there for me somehow if I told him that I had been in a coma for the past two years.

"Bella..." Charlie said when I didn't say anything back.

"It is hard to explain," I admitted with a sigh. "Please let me figure everything out before I tell you. I want to tell you the truth, not a lie."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, not understanding.

I looked up at him this time so that he could see the pleading look on my face.

"Okay, you do not have to tell me yet," Charlie told me, nodding his head as he gave in to my pleading look.

I smiled and relaxed, content. "Thank you."

Charlie smiled back. "You're welcome," he replied. "I'm just glad my daughter is back...and alive."

My eyes widened at that last part. Alive? What was he talking about? Alive?

"What do you mean alive?" I asked him curiously, worry evident in my voice.

"Everyone here thought that you were dead, Bella," Charlie informed me; his voice was quieter than it usually was, which was successful in making my heart drop into my stomach.

Everyone thought I was dead for the past two years?

"No one had seen or heard from you in two years. And there was nothing to suggest you were still alive...so everyone just assumed..." Charlie went on when I didn't speak.

"Oh my god! That must have been a horrible feeling; that must've been such a horrible thing to go through!" I exclaimed, trying to control my breathing.

Charlie nodded in agreement. "It was. You're my only daughter and losing you for real would be the worst thing to ever happen to me."

I could feel the tears from earlier once again welling up in my eyes, but I did not let them fall. I had to be strong. Breaking down into tears was not in my plans today.

"I'm so sorry, dad," I apologized immediately the second that I could speak again. "I didn't...I was...well, I'm alive, right? That is all that really matters now."

"Yes, I suppose it is. I'm extremely relieved to know that you're alive and healthy."

An awkward silence fell between us after that.

Feeling a bit uneasy, I decided to go ahead and break the silence. "Please don't tell anyone I'm back here dad. I would like to do so when I feel that the time is right. I'll probably go to La Push tomorrow and let everyone know I'm back."

"Of course; I will not say anything. Just make sure you reveal yourself soon. Billy and I are going fishing this weekend and I can't not tell him you're back."

"Duly noted." I laughed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

**~MP~**

After the revelation that everyone had thought I was dead, I suddenly felt the need to go to La Push and let my very human and very alive self be known. I couldn't stomach having everyone think I'm dead for even a day longer, especially when I was far from it. Leaving the station, I found myself heading straight towards La Push. The time to make my presence known was now. Not later. Not tomorrow. _Now._

Before I knew it, I was in La Push and walking up the front steps of Sam and Emily's cottage. It had been over two years since I had last been here. I wasn't so sure if I would be welcome here after having chosen Edward, but this was something I had to do. I had to face my past and my past mistakes head on. I knew deep down that leaving the pack hanging after everything they did for me (after they all put their lives on the line for me) leaving them hanging was such an awful thing for me to do.

Back then I was so enthralled and addicted to Edward, he was my drug that I couldn't let go of. But now I saw him in a different light. From the moment that I woke up from my coma, nothing was the same. I didn't feel for Edward what I did back then. It was like the coma had changed me without me even knowing that I was changing. Maybe that coma had been God's way of letting me reset myself...a way of giving me a second chance at doing the right thing and making the right choices.

I was broken away from my thoughts when I unconsciously stopped at the top of the stairs on the porch of Sam and Emily's house. This was it, there was no turning back. I didn't know why I was so afraid of how I would be perceived by the pack. They' would understand my reasoning for not being around or getting in touch once they all knew the truth. Not only that but I was going to talk to Emily first. Every member of the pack respected her and if one of them came on too strong upon seeing me back, she would no doubt have my back. Even though Emily and I had only been around each other a couple of times and spoken a small amount of words to each other, we still had an understanding.

Walking up to the door, which was already open, I stuck my head in and to no surprise found Emily in the kitchen cooking. I silently commended her for having to always feed the whole pack and always making enough to do exactly that. At least she enjoyed all of the cooking.

I watched her move around the kitchen contently for a few seconds before both knocking on the door and saying, "Knock, knock!"

Emily turned around quickly and her eyes widened in shock as she caught sight of me standing there in the doorway. "Bella? Is that really you?"

I smiled and nodded. "In the flesh."

She gasped in surprise. "You're alive and human."

Her surprise was completely understandable.

"Yes, yes I am both of those things."

Emily walked over to me and pulled me into a gentle yet tight hug. I returned it without hesitation.

"It's so good to see you again," she admitted once she pulled back from me and turned to head back to the kitchen area. "Come in and make yourself at home, Bella."

"Likewise." I followed suit and made my way over to where she was. "So where is everyone?"

"They're all out running around to work up extra appetites." She chuckled. "Not that they need to."

"Do you know when they're coming back?"

Emily shook her head. "I'm not sure. Although they have been gone a while so if I had to guess I would say that they'll be back sooner rather than later."

"Okay, that sounds fine. I don't have any other plans today."

"Are you hungry? Would you like me to make you a plate of food?" Emily asked, changing the subject as she stirred whatever she was making using the stove.

My mouth watered at the idea of a home cooked meal. I hadn't had a home cooked meal since before the newborn battle. I was way over due for another home cooked meal.

As I turned and walked over to the table, sitting down, I answered, "Sure. I'd appreciate that."

She quietly made me a plate and put it down in front of me. "Yum." I couldn't stop the word from falling out of my mouth.

Emily smiled. "If I did not know any better, I'd say it seems like you haven't eaten in years," she joked followed by a small laugh.

"You have no idea," I told her honestly before digging into the plate of chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, and a soft, warm biscuit like a vulture on fresh road kill; Okay, so not the best simile I could've used.

I was so caught up in the food that I almost didn't catch the amazed look on her face.

"What?" I asked, looking up at her curiously after swallowing the bite of chicken that was in my mouth.

"Nothing." She shook her head. "You just have a very big appetite. I'm not use to you eating like one of the guys," She laughed as she went about making herself a cup of coffee. "You weren't like that last time you were around."

"Oh, sorry," I apologized, feeling slightly self-conscious now.

Emily smiled briefly at me. "No need to be sorry, Bella. I'm use to it," she reminded me. "The pack remember?"

I chuckled and nodded. "Oh, yes, the pack. How could I forget them and their unusual appetites?"

"So what caused the appetite all of a sudden?" she asked and then added on as an afterthought, "If you do not mind my asking."

Emily walked over and placed a coffee cup in front of me on the table before she sat down with her own cup across from me.

"It's just that this is the first real meal I've had in two years," I admitted, deciding that someone should know why I was gone without a word for as long as I was. I was fully aware that my answer would lead to me telling her all about the past two years, or lack there of.

"I'm sorry. What?" Emily asked in both confusion and surprise; the same reaction I had been expecting.

I took a deep breath, reaching for the coffee in front of me and bringing it up to my lips to take a sip. Then as I placed it down in front of me, I started my explanation.

"I was in a coma for the past two years," I told her simply, jumping straight to the point.

Emily's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "A coma?" she asked almost as if she wasn't sure if she should believe what I had just told her or not.

I shook my head yes. "Yeah, according to the Cullen's, not long after leaving here I got into a bad car accident and I was in a coma for two years because of it," I explained to her, playing with the rim of the cup in front of me with my fingers.

"How long have you been awake?" Emily asked.

"About a week or so."

"Do you remember the accident at all?"

I shook my head no. "I don't remember anything that happened after the newborn battle. I only remember everything before it and then everything that's happened since I woke up."

"So you have amnesia?" Emily asked, trying to process everything I was telling her.

"Yeah, Car...Dr. Cullen told me that I have a rather serious case of Lacunar amnesia."

Emily raised a curious eyebrow. "What does that mean exactly?"

"It means that I have a large gap in my memory," I answered with a sigh. "I don't remember the accident or anything leading up to the accident."

"Oh, wow," was all Emily could say in response.

Before either of us could say anything else, the small cottage house was filled with very noisy and very hungry wolves. But once they all saw me it was so quiet that a pin could've been heard dropping. I slowly turned around in my chair to come face to face with the wolves that I had left behind years ago. The wolves that I truly regretted leaving behind. Well, they were all there, except one. I almost immediately noticed that the one of them that I wanted to see the most and was also at the same time the most scared to see again, _he_ was the only one missing from the group of wolves standing in front of me. My mood was down in the dumps as quickly as the realization had hit me.

I wasn't the least bit surprised when Paul took one look at me and then turned to storm out. He never had been my biggest fan. I had always known that he hated me for having anything to do with the Cullen's. He didn't exactly keep his feelings about me inside. Hence, the fact my nickname from him was "the leech-lover." I shuddered at that thought. It use to not bother me before, but now for some reason I didn't feel comfortable with that nickname; I didn't even want to think about it. It just felt wrong now and didn't settle well with me. Sam took one look at me as well and then looked at Emily, silently communicating with her, before following turning and following Paul outside. Jared was hot on Paul's and Sam's heels.

And then that only left Embry and Quil. I wasn't too worried about how they'd react. If anything they'd take my return the easiest of all of them. As long as I was still human, which I am...thankfully. Close calls with death can make you see things a whole lot differently. I wasn't so sure if I even wanted to think about ever turning into a vampire anymore now. Not when I know how people would react and how I'd feel based on their reactions to such a thing happening to me.

"Bella! You're alive!" I heard Embry exclaim, bringing me back to reality.

"If I had a dime for every time I heard that today. I think I could own my own bank," I joked as I stood up and was immediately engulfed in a tight hug and twirled around like I was a little kid again.

I squealed as I had not expected it.

"Put me down, Embry!" I screamed between laughs.

Embry did but only for Quil to take over.

I laughed some more until he let go of me and put me back down on my own two feet.

"We were all so sure you had turned," Quil said, momentarily turning the playful atmosphere into a serious one.

"Well obviously I haven't," I stated the obvious with a roll of my eyes. "As you can tell, I'm still human."

"Why didn't you change?" Embry asked, following suit with the seriousness. "It's what you wanted so badly back then," he added as an afterthought.

I shrugged my shoulders and went to sit back down, grabbing my coffee cup and taking a sip. "It's complicated," I said not really thrilled by the idea of telling everything I had told Emily over again just yet.

"Is it really? Or do you just not want to tell us?" Quil asked, cocking an eyebrow and sending a knowing look in my direction.

There was no point in trying to deny the obvious truth.

I sighed and admitted, "Both."

"You know that you can tell us. We'd understand," Embry told me.

I looked over at Emily with a look of, "help." She shook her head and gave me a look back that more or less said, "This is yours to tell."

I sighed and shook my head as I turned my attention back to Embry and Quil. How could they even begin to understand what I told them when I didn't really understand any of it myself.

"No, you wouldn't," I informed them. "Because to be quite honest...not even I understand it."

There was an eerie silence that filled the room then.

"Alright, fine. Since you can not tell us that, then could you at least answer this...what made you come back after all these years? Why now?"

And there it was. The hard hitting question. The question I honestly was not sure of. I mean I knew the basics of it; my gut told me to come back here so I did. But I didn't know the true depth of my what was causing my gut feeling.

I opened my mouth to answer with an answer that I wasn't even aware of at the moment, but I ended up sighing a sigh of relief when Quil cut in. That is until I heard his question, which was not much different from Embry's.

"Better yet, why did you leave to begin with?"

"I'll be sure to let you know when I know myself," I said sadly, turning to face the table and putting my head in my hands.

I just hated not knowing, not remembering anything. I just wanted my memory back already, even more so in that moment than any other moment in the last week.

"What?" Embry and Quil asked in unison.

Before I could reply to their question of confusion, I heard a familiar voice say my name.

"Bella?"

Every part of me froze at the sound of his voice. My breathing included. The realization that it was now time to face _him_ face to face was a slightly scary one now. I may not know what happened the past two years, but I knew enough to know that surely me choosing Edward over him and leaving would probably mean he'd have some anger towards me; betrayal even. I was as ready for it as I would ever be.

Taking a deep breath, I stood back up and turned around ready enough to face the music. To rip the band aid off of the wound.

"Jake." I breathed out when I saw him for the first time in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter; Jacob and Bella's confrontation...or lack thereof.


	3. Chapter 2 - Some Things Never Change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything...well, except for the plot I guess.

I couldn't help but feel extremely anxious as I quietly followed Jacob out of the house. I was nervous about what he'd have to say to me. Amnesia or not, I was not dumb. I knew that I had hurt Jacob, and truthfully, deep down I expected nothing less than for him to be mad at me. I just wish I could remember what I had forgotten. It would make the confrontation or lack there of that was about to happen so much easier to understand and quickly come to terms with.

Although, after everything I had put Jacob through back then, a more vengeful part of me was arguing that maybe it served me right. Maybe I didn't deserve to understand or be able to come to terms with what Jacob had to say. Would it even end up making a difference? A big part of me hoped it would. But there was still that small part that doubted I'd be able to make the right choice if and when the time came. I mean, it seemed like all my choices before were completely biased. So why would things be different this time?

If I was completely honest with myself, I'd probably just end up running back to Edward once I got my memory back if things weren't different this time. There was nothing from the past that ever showed that I was capable of processing things properly to begin with. No matter what, for some reason all that ended up mattering or making any sense to me in the end was Edward. So why would now be any different? Well it all came back to my gut feeling. And my feelings in general.

Things had been different ever since waking up. I was finally seeing Edward in a different light. A light that showed all of his flaws no matter how perfect he seemed on the outside. I was seeing through it all as of later. I was seeing him for what he really was. He was over protective, or maybe over obsessive was a better way to describe him. Either way, it wasn't how I saw him once before. Something was different now, weirdly and confusingly different.

I didn't realize how far or how long we had been walking or how long I'd been caught up in my thoughts until I accidentally ran into Jacob when he stopped walking to turn around. I gasped when I stepped away from him and almost tripped backwards. Clumsy Bella. Some things never do change do they? Just before I could fall back and make a fool of myself by falling backwards on my ass, Jacob grabbed me by my arms and set me up right.

"Thank you." I breathed out, looking around to find that we were standing on First Beach.

Looking around some more, I realized that we weren't just on First Beach; we were at _our spot_. Oh my god! _Our spot._ We were at _our spot._ Did this mean something? If he were angry with me like I feared he may be, then he wouldn't have brought us here, right? I wouldn't think so. But who knows. It had been two years. A lot can change in two years. People can change in the course of two years. Could it be that Jacob had changed in two years?

"Why are you here?" Jacob finally asked, snapping me completely out of my thoughts.

"I don't know," I answered honestly, looking down and playing nervously with the bracelet on my wrist.

"You don't know?" he asked in a tone of voice that I couldn't quite read.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded my head.

"You honestly expect me to believe you? You leave for two years and you come back expecting me to believe you don't know why you're back?!" He snapped, taking me by complete surprise.

My head shot up. His tone of voice was shocking to hear. I couldn't be but so surprised at him, though, I had expected something like this to happen. But at the same time I wasn't use to him like this. I had rarely heard him snap like that before...let alone with me being the subject of his snapping.

"Believe me, Jake, please! I truly don't know! I have no idea what happened in the past two years! You have to believe me. Please!" I pleaded with him before I even realized what I was doing. "I guess I was just hoping that coming back here where it all started would help me piece the pieces back together," I added when he didn't say anything back after a couple of seconds.

His voice was slightly quieter as he asked, "What do you mean you don't know what happened in the past two years?"

"According to the Cullen's..." I started to say, which earned a flinch and a glare from Jacob. I ignored him and continued, "According to them, I was in a coma for two years after a near fatal car accident. I just woke up about a week ago."

"And you came here?"

I nodded even though the answer was pretty obvious. I answered anyways just to say the words. "Yes, as soon as I got the first chance to leave, I left." A moment later, I added, "And I came straight here."

Jacob didn't speak for a minute, or maybe it was two. Who was really counting? I wasn't. But then he asked a question that sort of took me off guard. It wasn't one of the questions that I'd ever expected him to ask me in right now.

"How much do you remember?" he asked, looking down at the sandy beach below.

Only a few minutes ago he had a hard time believing anything I was saying. Yet now he did? Interesting.

"Only everything up to the newborn battle," I answered truthfully.

He once again took me off guard by his words. "Why didn't you just ask the Cullen's to fill you in? Why'd you have to come here to figure things out?" he asked. "I was so close to finally getting over you completely and moving on."

"I'm so sorry I hurt you by choosing Edward again," I blurted out before I could stop myself. "But I honestly don't even remember doing so," I assured him, deep down hoping that it would soften the blow.

"You did not answer my question, Bella," he said, ignoring what I said altogether.

I didn't say anything. To be honest, I was afraid to admit out loud why I was here in hopes of getting answers and not there with them. Saying it out loud would just make it that much more real.

"Bella..." Jacob started, but I cut him off.

In a voice lower than a whisper, but still loud enough for him to hear with his wolf hearing, I said, "Because I don't think they're telling me the truth."

I suddenly felt uncomfortable with the direction that the conversation had suddenly taken.

Sensing my discomfort, Jacob changed the subject; well sort of.

"He let you keep the wolf charm?" Jacob asked, surprise evident in his tone, when he noticed me playing with the wolf charm on my bracelet.

"Actually, no," I admitted with a frown.

"But you have it now."

I nodded. "Yeah, I do. When I first woke up...it was missing. It was one of the first things that I noticed. When I asked about it, Edward told me that I had lost it somewhere in the accident...I didn't believe him. There was just something in his eyes and his voice that revealed to me he was lying," I explained.

"He took it off while you were out of it?" Jacob stated, more so than asked, with a growl.

"Edward wasn't too thrilled when I demanded he give it back to me."

"Would have been surprised any other way," he muttered under his breath.

Back then I would've jumped on Edward's defense squad against Jacob, but now...I didn't. To tell the truth, my heart just wasn't in it like it use to be. I had no urge to defend Edward against anyone or anything like I did two years prior to now.

"The bracelet just didn't feel right without the wolf on it," I admitted in hopes that it would cheer Jacob up a bit.

The small smile that took over his face was just enough proof for me that it had worked.

But as quick as it had appeared, it was gone again. And his anger was back. It was like a switch had been switched on and off just like that. One of the worst cons of my best friend being a wolf...you guessed it, mood swings. I should've been use to the mood swings still even after two years of being away, especially two years away without being awake. Yet it seemed that I was not. His anger returning suddenly was enough to make me almost jump out of my skin when he spoke up again.

"You should've never left. You should've never chosen an eternity over life."

"I'm still human, Jake," I said, trying to find my voice which was hiding away after what he had just said.

"But you wouldn't be if the accident didn't happen when it did," he pointed out.

I couldn't argue with that even if I tried. It was obvious that the accident was the only thing that had kept me human. The one thing that could've killed me had also assured me a second chance at living. Would I be able to throw this second chance away when it came down to it? Or would I make a different choice this time? I guess only time would be able to tell.

**~MP~**

It wasn't much longer after the confrontation or lack there of that I left and returned home. I suddenly had a feeling of not belonging there at that moment in time when Jacob didn't say a word to me for the remainder of our time together. My feeling of discomfort had grown with each passing minute and I had to get out of there. I couldn't get rid of the thought in my mind that he really had to have hated me or blamed me for leaving despite what I had told him.

By seven that evening, I was already ready to go to bed. The day had been so exhausting for me. When I got home, I took a shower and then headed to my room to get dressed and crash. But it seemed that fate had other plans. At least I think it was fate. Or maybe I should just call it what it is and say that Jacob had other plans for me. When I returned to my room I was shocked to find him climbing through my window. I jumped at first, having caught him out of the corner of my eye just as I walked into the room. I hadn't noticed it was him until he spoke up and his voice gave his identity away.

"Hey, Bells."

A hand instinctively flew up to my heart while my other hand grasped tightly at the part where my towel was being held together. "Holy crow, Jacob! Do not freaking scare me like that!" I exclaimed.

With an amused smile on his face, he apologized. "Sorry."

"Yeah, sure you are," I said, rolling my eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to apologize."

I was shocked and confused. What did he have to apologize for?

"Apologize? For what?"

Jacob moved closer to me and my hands tightened even tighter on my towel.

"For how I acted towards you earlier today."

I shrugged my shoulders and waved my hand forward as a way of saying it was nothing. "You do not have to apologize to me. It's fine. You had every right. Besides you were really not that bad. A few snaps here and there, but that was it."

"No, I didn't," Jacob argued, shaking his head.

"Yes, you did," I argued right back. "I left you without saying a word. I..." I trailed off as I looked down at my hand in shame. "I apparently went ahead and married your worst enemy. Even though I do not remember it. I don't even remember leaving," I said with a sad sigh.

"Exactly."

"What?" I asked, not sure what to make of his one word reply.

"That is why I'm apologizing to you," he told me as he reached a hand up and brushed his fingers lightly against my collarbone, sending a shiver up my spine. "You don't remember anything after the newborn battle and before a week ago when you woke up."

"So?" I asked, taking a while on understanding where he was getting at.

I blame him and the placement of his fingers on my still damp from the shower skin.

"So, you had no idea what the lee...Cullen's said or did. You were out of it for two years," he pointed out, moving up my neck to my jaw and then trailing up my face to my hair where he tucked a loose, wet strand behind my ear.

He had a point. But I had a point to make that would rival his own, too.

"But who's to say when my memory comes back...if it comes back...that it won't turn out that I knew we were leaving and that it was my choice?"

Jacob shrugged. "We'll deal with that when the time comes. But, if you ask me, I do not think you knowingly left," he admitted to me like it was the easiest thing he had ever done before.

"Why do you say that?" I asked unconsciously leaning into his touch which was now back on my face.

"Because you would've never knowingly left without saying goodbye to me," he said, moving his own face closer to mine.

"No, I wouldn't have," I agreed.

For a second there, I almost thought he would kiss me. And I was almost going to let him. But then he abruptly took his hand away from my face and stepped back from me. I couldn't stop the frustrated moan from leaving me. I looked up just in time to see Jacob smirk. Some things never change.

"I'm going to do anything I can to try and help reboot your memory," he told me, turning to walk back to the window. "We can start tomorrow. Come see me at the garage around noon."

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"I've got something planned that might bring back a memory or two," he answered with a smile. "Possibly."

Hmm...I wonder what it was that he had planned exactly.

"Okay," I heard myself saying as my mind caught up with my voice after the words already came out.

"Good. I will see you tomorrow afternoon then," he smiled, moving to leave through the window.

"You know that Charlie's not here right now, right?" I questioned, causing him to freeze and turn back to me.

"Yeah and?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I knew what he was thinking and part of me was thinking the same thing. But what came out of my mouth in response was clearly not what either of us really wanted to hear.

"You can leave through the front door."

A moment of silence fell between us before Jacob said, "Yeah, but where's the fun in that?"

And with a quick sunny grin at me, he turned and was gone.

I ran over to the window just in time to see him turn to give me one last smile, which I returned, and then turn and disappear into the woods to phase and run home.

I sighed as I closed the window and locked it, knowing he wouldn't be back and then I got dressed and as soon as I laid down and my head hit the pillow, I was out almost immediately like a light.

**~MP~**

The next day, I woke up feeling refreshed and cheerful. I remembered Jacob coming to my room the night before and apologizing, even though I still held strongly onto the fact that he really had no reason to apologize. I did not care what he said. If anyone needed to apologize for something, it would be me apologizing to him over and over again for everything bad that I had ever put him through.

Getting out of bed, I got ready for the day ahead of me. I had no idea what Jacob had planned, but I was happy about it none the less. It was nice to know that we could easily fall back into being best friends like we always use to be. It was as if nothing that happened in the past four years or so had happened at all. I liked that feeling. It made me feel normal.

After getting dressed, I made my way downstairs to find that Charlie had already gone off to work. Well at least I didn't have to cook breakfast today. I was too excited about going to see Jacob. Grabbing a breakfast granola bar from the kitchen, I picked up my keys and walked out of the house, locking the door behind me. When I turned back around to head to my truck, I saw the one person that I was not at all expecting to see so soon.

"Bella, my love."

Oh god. Not him already. I was not ready to deal with him yet. Why did he have to ruin everything? Apparently, some things never change. I was perfectly content going to see Jacob and spending the day with him. And now I would end up being late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter; He's ba...ack. Cue horror music. What does he want and what will Bella say and do about it. Also, Bella makes a very surprising friend. Who's the surprising friend? And, how does it all come about?


	4. Chapter 3 - Everyone Needs Some Perspective

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to apologize in advance for the slightly awkward first part of the conversation. I have no idea where it came from, but it does have a little bit of meaning to some things that will happen later on in the story.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything...well, except for the plot I guess.

I hadn't even been in Forks for a little over 24 hours and he was already here. I could tell he was here for one thing and one thing only without him even saying anything. He wanted me to come back to Alaska with him. Well sorry to rain on his parade, but I wasn't budging. I was staying right here in Forks for as long as it took for my memory to return. And there was absolutely nothing he could do or say to make me think or do otherwise.

I stood at the top of the porch steps looking down at him. I didn't make any attempt to move towards him. I just didn't feel the draw to be near him when we talked like I use to. He no longer had the power to make me swoon and fall into him every time he was around. His power was null and void to me now. Part of me wasn't happy about it, the part of me that was still stuck living in the past. But there was an even bigger part of me that was happy and jumping for joy at the feeling of being free from whatever he had once had over me.

"Why are you here, Edward?" I asked, wrapping my arms around myself in a protective sort of stance; It was a big habit of mine, always had been and always would be.

"I'm here to take you back to Alaska with me," Edward answered, making a move to step closer to me.

I shook my head quickly and argued, "No, you're not. 'Cause I'm not going."

"Then I am staying here," Edward replied.

I shook my head again more prominently. "No, you're not."

"Bella, you're my wife..." Edward started to protest.

I cut him off instantly not wanting to hear what else he had to say. "Am I really?" I asked surprising both of us with my question looking down at my hands, playing with them nervously in front of me.

I had been wondering lately about if we were truly considered married or not? I didn't see why we would be considered truly married seeing as if we hadn't actually gone all the way and made the marriage official. I knew we hadn't. Memory or no memory a girl just _knows_ when she's actually taken such a step. Did that even mean anything in this current situation?

"What? Don't be absurd. Of course, you are," Edward said suddenly breaking me away from my thoughts.

I gasped when I looked up and saw him standing right in front of me now, his hands on each of my arms gripping them in a grasp that I once found endearing. But now the grasp only made me feel uncomfortable. There was nothing like trust issues to change the way you think and feel about someone.

"Something inside me tells me that I'm not. Not to mention that technically it's not even a real marriage because we never...well, we never...you know..." I trailed off, slightly embarrassed to say it out loud.

"What are you trying to get at Bella?" Edward asked, crinkling his eyebrows at me.

Blushing profusely, not because of him but because of the current subject, I looked down at my hands again and said, "You know what I am trying to get at. Do not make me have to say it."

"You don't remember, Bella..." Edward started but then paused.

My head shot up at that remark. "Remember what?" I questioned curiously.

"Our honeymoon."

"You know I do not remember it, Edward."

"Such a shame. It was real nice," Edward said with a suggestive smile playing on his lips.

I knew what he was trying to get at and it made me feel disgusted. It was one thing to talk about it. But to use my amnesia against me to lie, that was another thing entirely and I didn't like it one bit.

"I call BS, Edward!" I exclaimed. "I know we never consummated the marriage! So stop trying to use my amnesia against me by saying that we did and that I just don't remember it!"

"But you _don't_ remember anything after the newborn battle, love. Of course, you would not remember it. I can understand that," he said, continuing on with his lie even after I told him to stop it.

Without even realizing what I was saying at first, I admitted through clenched teeth, "I do not feel any different down there!"

Edward looked both slightly shocked and confused. "What?"

Still going through my shocking blunt phase, I hissed, "I would know if I wasn't a virgin anymore! And I don't feel any different down there, so I know that I still am one. So stop freaking lying for whatever sick, sadistic reasoning you have for doing so. Nothing you say is going to make me come back to you anytime soon!" After a moment, I added under my breath, knowing he still heard me, "If I even ever do come back to you."

"Bella, love, you have no idea what you're talking about. You are not thinking like yourself right now. We should get going now."

I wiggled my arms out of his grip then and stepped back as I shook my head. "No," I told him sternly. "All I really know at this point is that I am here to stay for a while."

"You can't stay here. It's not safe," Edward protested vigorously.

I rolled my eyes at his persistence and kept my stern voice as I informed him, " _I'm not_ leaving and _you're not_ staying."

"Bella, I..." Edward started to protest more.

I cut him off once again and put my foot down, so to speak, and insisted, "No, Edward! Don't you dare even start with me. Please, just don't."

"But Bella. You need to leave with me now. It's for the best. You shouldn't be here. You should have never come back here."

"Why are you so focused on getting me to leave Forks?" I asked him suddenly after pondering the thought for a short period of time. "Are you trying to keep something from me?"

"No, of course not," Edward spoke quickly jumping on the defensive, shaking his head to match his answer to my question.

"I don't believe you," I told him honestly.

"Bella, you know I'd never lie to you."

"Oh, really? Alright then. In that case, answer me this without thinking about it first...what really happened to put me in a coma for two years?"

Edward hesitated for a moment, proving what I had already known all along, before he answered, "We told you, you were in a very bad car accident."

"For some reason, I can't bring myself to believe that."

"Bella..."

"NO!" I exclaimed louder than I originally intended to. "I don't know what you're trying to accomplish here, but it is not going to work. I am not leaving Forks with you! I am staying here! And I'm not leaving or making any other plans to do anything else until I find out the truth. One way or another I will put all of the missing pieces together again. I _will_ find out the truth about what happened to me."

"Bella, please," Edward said, pleading with me.

I shook my head and stood my ground. "I've made up my mind and I'm sticking with it."

Edward tried again and I was so sure that he was very close to kneeling on the ground and begging me, but he stayed standing. "Please, Bella. Just leave with me. We can go back to Alaska and we can talk about you turning and being one of us like you want so badly."

"I use to want that!" I spat at him. "But I don't know what I want anymore. Although, at this point, what I do know is that I don't want that anymore; that I'm sure of."

"You are not yourself at the moment, love. Let's just go back to Alaska and we can sort this all out."

He just would not give up on this, would he?

Now I was extremely frustrated and agitated with his never ending, never understanding self.

"For goodness sake, Edward! Have I been talking to a brick wall for the past few minutes?!" I asked angrily, realizing what I had just said after a moment and then giggling. "No pun intended." Then just like that I returned to serious in a blink. " I need some time. Just go back home to your family. I'll call you when I've figured things out."

"If you won't come back with me, then we are going to move back here," Edward said suddenly, causing what control I had left to snap.

My eyes widened and I lost it. "NO! NO! NO! NO!"

"Bella, calm down. We're going to do anything to keep you safe, you know that," Edward said, reaching out for me again.

I stepped back quickly not wanting him anywhere near me right now.

"No, you're doing this because you're extremely obsessive and because you don't want me to find out the truth because it's something you're afraid of. You're lying to me about what happened. I know you are."

"I promise I am not lying to you, Bella," Edward said in an assuring tone that was much too difficult to believe.

I shook my head frantically. "I don't believe you. And I do not want you here. Or anywhere near me. Go away!"

"You don't mean that."

"Yes, I do mean it." I paused for a moment, then continued with, "Something in me is screaming not to trust a single word you say, and for once I'm choosing to listen to my intuition."

"Bella, you are making the wrong choice here."

My blood began to boil. There he went again trying to control me, trying to make me do, say, and believe what he wanted me to. What an ass.

"Don't freaking tell me what choices I make are wrong and which are right. I am 20 years old for crying out loud. I am not a naïve teenager anymore! I can make my freaking own decisions!" I seethed, clenching my fists almost painfully at my sides.

"Bella, this isn't you."

"No, _this_ is me. _This is_ the independent me who doesn't need a man to do everything for her! _This is_ the confused me who wants answers and won't let anything stop her from getting them! _This is_ the take control me who is going to finally stop doing things because others, namely you, want me to. I'm going to start doing me from now on. I am going to be Bella's Bella." I laid down everything right then and there, leaving nothing out. "This is me, Edward. Take it or leave it. Better yet deal with it and still leave!"

"Bella..."

I let out a frustrated sigh and felt like turning and banging my head against the front door. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before I spoke, "Are we really gonna go through this again? I told you..."

I was shocked when I was cut off by a familiar, but surprising voice, "Have you not gotten the memo by now, leech? She _does not_ want you here at all."

Both Edward and I turned our heads in the direction that the voice came from.

Shocked at actually seeing her actually walking out of the woods and towards us, I gasped, "Leah?"

Leah ignored me and instead glared at Edward. "Go away, leech. It's obvious that you're not wanted here."

Edward growled. "I do not answer to you, mutt."

"No, you don't. Thank god. But obviously you can't get it through your head that Bella doesn't want you here. It's only fair that someone steps in and tries to help get the point across faster." Leah all but hissed at him then.

Edward turned back to me. "Bella, love, please tell her to leave. This is a conversation between just us. She. Needs. To. Leave," Edward said, emphasizing each word of the last sentence between clenched teeth.

I shook my head. "Even if I wanted to, I can not make her do anything. And no she doesn't need to leave. _You. Need. To. Leave. Right. Now._ Edward." I mimicked his own emphasis through clenched teeth as I spoke the last part.

"Bella, please do not do this to me, to us."

And that was my true line drawing point. I had truly had enough and I lost it completely and yelled at him at the top of my lungs, "GO AWAY, EDWARD! JUST TAKE THE HINT ALREADY!"

Edward, shocked by my second and worst outbreak of the day, finally gave in. "Alright, fine. I'll go. But this isn't over. You're _my wife_ and _I will_ be back for you," he half said and half threatened me.

With that he turned and walked away, got into his car, and drove off.

Once Edward's car was out of sight, I turned to Leah.

"Thank you for showing up," I said sincerely.

Leah shrugged her shoulders. "Not a problem."

"Why are you here, Leah?" I asked, taking a seat on the top porch step.

"What is wrong with me being here?" she asked, making her way over and sitting down next to me.

I shrugged my shoulder. "Nothing really. It's just that you're suppose to hate me."

Leah raised an eyebrow. "Am I now?"

"Well you use to."

"Yeah I did sort of back then. It wasn't as much hate as me not being happy with you when you were making stupid choices," she admitted, clearing the air between us.

"And I'm not now?" I asked a bit shocked by her admittance.

Leah shook her head. "No, you told the lee...Edward to leave. Back then you made stupid choices by letting him stay. But this time you made him leave. You've grown up over the past two years," she said with a small and brief smile.

I frowned at the last part and looked down at my feet.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot," Leah spoke suddenly.

I was suddenly on high alert as my head shot up and I looked at her curiously. "Forgot what?"

"Um, well...Jacob called the pack together last night and told us all to go easy on you because of what you told him," she answered and then added as an afterthought, "You know, about the accident and all and you not having any recollection of anything after the newborn battle."

I pondered what she said for a moment before standing up quickly. "Oh, so wait...you being here and being nice to me is just because Jacob said to go easy on me?!" I shook my head in disbelief and turned to walk back into the house. "I can't believe this!" I exclaimed, putting my key in the door and unlocking it.

Just before I could push the door open, Leah grabbed my arm and stopped me. "No, wait...that did not come out right."

"How was it suppose to come out?" I asked, turning back to face her and placing my hands on my hips.

"I'm not being nice because he said to go easy on you," she told me.

"Well then why are you being nice to me?" I asked cluelessly.

Leah sighed. "I over heard most of your conversation with the lee...Edward."

"Don't force yourself to say his name on my account," I said, noticing the look on her face as she continuously had to correct herself when she started to say leech.

"Really?" She looked surprised.

I shrugged and sighed. "It is what he is, is it not? No need to watch what you say."

"But I thought you..."

I cut her off. "No, it's fine. It's who you are. You were born to despise people like Edward and the Cullen's. It's just your nature. No need to try and go against it just for me."

"Umm...okay," Leah said, not knowing exactly how else to respond.

"Not to mention that to be honest, I just..." I stopped myself before I could admit anything else.

Maybe now, and to Leah, wasn't the best way to let what I was thinking out. I still wasn't so sure what to think about Leah's different than usual attitude towards me.

"Just what?" Leah wondered.

"It's hard to explain," I said with a sigh looking anywhere but at her.

"I'm sure it's not as hard to explain as you think it is."

Maybe she did have somewhat of a point there. Alright well, here goes nothing. Let the confessions begin.

"Well, it's just that..." I ended up trailing off again because I was not sure how to go about what I was about to confess to Leah of all people.

Leah waited patiently and didn't push me to say what I was trying to say.

"It's just that...I don't see him like I used to," I finally managed to admit with some difficulty.

"What do you mean?" she questioned, crinkling her eyes at me.

"I mean that I just don't feel like I love him like I used to. It's as if a big part of me...a big part of me just doesn't feel the same with or about him anymore. I feel like maybe the "two year" coma was a wake up call. Before the coma I was head over heels for Edward, nothing and nobody could ever change that. But then when I woke up from the coma...that feeling just was not there anymore. There was this void instead; a void that nothing could fix or fill. It was like I was suffocating and the more he was around me, the worse the suffocating feeling would become," I explained, laying everything that I was feeling on the line.

"Do you know what brought the suffocating feeling on?"

I nodded my head and sighed sadly. "Yeah, Edward would not give me my personal space. When I first woke up he was there. And then every moment afterwards, he was there. It was like he was a Remora fish or something." I couldn't help but feel stupid about the last part, only me would find a silly simile to use.

"A Remora fish?" Leah asked, looking like she was holding back a laugh.

"You know, the remora? The fish that stays right by sharks. It was a bad simile, but I couldn't think of anything else."

"Oh, right," she said in a tone that sounded fake. "Only you could think up such a smile."

"That is exactly what I was thinking, too."

We both laughed at that.

Once we were finished laughing at my randomness, I continued. "Anyways, he was attached at my hip pretty much. He'd never let me out of his sight..."

Leah cut me off and pointed out, "He never did that back then either."

"Yeah, I know." I sighed.

I hated looking back and realizing how co-dependent I had been on him for so long. What was wrong with me back then? Compared to the person I was before I even moved to Forks...that independent version of me would've gladly beat some sense into the other co-dependent version of me if they could have somehow crossed paths.

"But this time it was so much worse," I informed her. "It was so bad that I literally had to beg him to leave me alone just to use the bathroom."

"Seriously?" Leah asked, not even trying to hide the disgusted look on her face.

I nodded my head. "It was weird and it made me extremely uncomfortable. It was almost as if he was afraid I'd leave the first chance I got or something. And that is the absolute last thing he wanted."

"You did leave the first chance you got, though, right?"

"Yeah, I did. But it was his constant presence everywhere I was that pushed me to run away the most."

"So you finally saw him in his over obsessive light?" Leah asked, a small smirk playing on her lips.

"I...yeah, that pretty much sums it up."

"How did you get away?" Leah asked me, the dreaded question I was hoping wouldn't be asked.

Cue more embarrassment on my part now.

"I climbed out of the bathroom window," I answered, blushing a shade of red.

Leah shook her head as she laughed.

"What do you find so funny about that?" I questioned, looking at her.

"Clumsy Bella snuck out the window and didn't get caught right then and there." She laughed louder. "Good job."

I shrugged my shoulders. "It was the luck of the Irish, I guess."

Another bad joke. It would have made much more sense if I was Irish.

Leah chuckled. "Yeah, okay."

"But yeah, I snuck out and something told me to come here. So I did," I said, continuing the conversation.

"How'd you get here from Alaska if you ran away? You obviously needed money, right?"

I looked away then with a slightly guilty look on my face.

"Bella..."

"IkindofstoleEdward'swallet," I answered all at once as fast as I could.

Leah understood it, I could tell when she cracked up again. "You stole the leeches wallet?! So you are a felon as well now?!"

"I needed enough money to get here. His wallet was out in the open and there was more than enough money to get me here in it so I took it when he wasn't looking and then I pretended I was going to go shower. I went to the bathroom, turned the shower on, and then I snuck out the window," I told her everything; the weight of my guilty conscience was slightly lifted upon admitting what I did to someone.

"Oh, Bella. I never knew you had it in you." She laughed, looking at me with a look of pride.

I shrugged and laughed, too. "What can I say? I am full of surprises these days."

Leah nodded in agreement. "It sure seems so."

"Alright well, I should go shower now. I am already late as it is, so what's a few more minutes late," I told her moments later when I remembered I was suppose to be meeting Jacob around noon; I was sure it was already past noon.

"Why are you going to go shower? You just said you're late for something?"

"Yeah, I am hanging out with Jacob today. And I'm going to shower before I go there because I just know that I most likely smell like vampire right now."

Leah sniffed the air close to me and then her nose scrunched up. She backed up immediately, confirming what I already knew. "Yeah, you do."

"Exactly. I do not want to worry Jake. So don't tell him Edward's here or what he said," I said, giving her a pleading look.

"I won't," she replied, giving me a reassuring look.

"Swear it. Sing 80's tunes or something in your head when you're phased at the same time," I told her, wanting to make absolute sure Jacob wouldn't find out before I was ready for him to.

"You know he'll get suspicious if I suddenly start singing 80's or 90's music in my head," she told me, cocking an eyebrow as if to ask, "so how do you suppose I deal with that?"

"Umm, well, it is worth a shot," I said completely clueless as to what to really say. "Please just try. I want to be the one to tell him if need be."

"Why not now?" Leah asked, giving me a slight push.

"Because..." I started and stopped because I honestly didn't have an answer except just because.

"Because why? You heard Edward...he will be back for you eventually. It sounds like a threat if you ask me."

"Yeah, but when it comes to me Edward is usually mostly talk. It's just his over protectiveness coming out. I don't want to worry Jacob if there's nothing to truly worry about. Besides..." I stopped myself before I could go any further; I had told her a lot already, but there were still some things that were best kept to myself.

"Besides what?" she asked not letting it go like a big part of me had hoped she would.

I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders. "Nevermind. It's nothing," I lied.

"You say it's nothing, but the expression on your face says something different." Leah called me out on my lie.

Why was I not surprised by that? Alright, fine. I already told her pretty much everything else, so I might as well tell her this, too.

I sighed and admitted, "I just don't want to hurt him again."

"Are you planning on hurting him again?"

I shook my head quickly. "Of course not. No! Not on purpose anyways, but..." And here's where my biggest fear came into play.

Leah stayed silent, waiting for me to continue on my own accord.

I made eye contact with her and asked her point blank, "What if whenever I do get my memory back, if I get it back...what if it reveals something that is not good? What if something happened that will cause me to hurt him all over again? I don't want to do that to him again. I _can't_ do that to him again."

"Is that all, or is there more?" Leah asked after searching my eyes for something else and apparently finding what she was looking for.

How in the world could she see through me like that? There was something else bothering me. But how did she know? I wasn't that easy to read usually. Or did I just have my guard down at the moment?

"Yeah, there's more."

"And what is it?"

"I don't get why Jacob is acting like everything is okay. He's putting himself in a position where he could possibly get hurt again, and yet he's acting like it doesn't bother him for some reason. All he said to me was that we'll deal with it when the time comes."

"You know he loves you, Bella, and that will never change."

"I know."

"Love makes you do crazy things at times. He loves you so much that he's willing to put himself in that position as many times as he has to. And knowing him, each time it's in hopes that you'll realize that you love him back just as much as he loves you."

I gasped at the last part she said.

"Just talk to him. Make him tell you the truth. What I said is just what I think. I'm not him, so I don't know for sure how he thinks. Therefore, you need to ask him and find out. Otherwise, it's going to eat you up inside and it'll turn you bitter. Trust me...that part...I'm very familiar with."

I opened my mouth to say something, but stopped myself. I instead simply smiled briefly at her. "Thank you."

Leah nodded her head as she stood up. "Of course. Well, I should go and leave you to shower. We don't want you to leave Jacob waiting too much longer. He's probably wondering where you are and contemplating coming to check up on you." She said the last part with a smirk on her face.

"Thanks you again, Leah."

"Just remember what I said," she replied and then she turned away from me and headed into the woods.

Once she was out of sight, I stood up and went inside to shower real quick before I went to see Jacob.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter; Some Jacob and Bella bonding time. Also, Bella's nightmares begin and the pieces of the truth slowly start to reveal themselves.


	5. Chapter 4 - Questions and Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm relieved and extremely happy that you all like how I'm writing Bella. I just like her so much better when she's independent and not so dependent on a guy. Maybe, it's just the hidden feminist in me?
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything...well, except for the plot I guess.

It was about ten past one when I finally arrived at Jacob's, clean from the shower and smelling like vanilla and strawberries instead of however vampires smelt. Edward's appearance earlier had put a slight damper in the start of my day. But I refused to let it or anything else ruin the rest of my day. I was no longer the Bella who ran and hid when something went wrong. I was now the Bella who would make every second count. Gotta love Titanic references.

Getting out of my rental car which I made mental note to give back and start using my truck again the first chance I got, I was instantly met with one of the hug and spins I had missed dearly. Two years of none of those and I was quite thankful I was in a coma for those two years. I'm not sure how I or anyone who got those types of hugs could ever live without them after the first. I had a strong feeling that the me I was during the time that I had no memory of was a me that I wouldn't be able to recognize now.

"You're late," he said into my hair, sounding a bit bummed out.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry," I replied with a half smile, half frown; I had not intended on being late.

"I almost thought you weren't going to come," he whispered, putting me down.

"I would not even think or dream of not coming," I assured him. "We have two years to make up for and a memory to get back."

He smiled at me with the " _my Jacob"_ smile that I loved so very much.

"So what are we going to be doing today?" I asked him; I was curious as to what he had planned.

"Follow me and find out." He smirked as he turned and headed for the garage.

"I am not going to die today, am I?" I asked jokingly while I followed after him.

Jake stopped walking for a moment and acted like he was pondering my question. Then he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, and answered, "It depends. Are you still as clumsy as you once were?"

"Haha!" I replied with a roll of my eyes. "And no...well sort of. I still have my moments, but not as much as I use to. Why?"

"We're going riding," he answered with that smirk still on his face.

I raised an eyebrow. "Do you not remember what happened last time?"

"Oh, I remember." He laughed. "But the circumstances are different this time, right?"

"Yes, of course."

There was no Edward or reason to hear Edward's voice to distract me this time.

"Well then, I don't see any problems ahead of us."

"Let's hope not."

He winked at me. "Don't worry, I'll be there just in case you crash or fall."

"You truly know me all too well," I replied, giggling more like a school girl than I would have liked.

"You said it."

"I did."

I hadn't even realized he had gotten the bikes until I saw him pushing them both outside. That surely went to show just how in tune with my surroundings I was right now. Something didn't feel right and it was distracting me. I just could not seem to place what it was. The garage looked like it was missing something. But what? I couldn't shake the feeling no matter how hard I tried to do so.

I finally gave up after a minute of trying to figure it out and followed Jacob outside. It wasn't until I was getting on my bike that it dawned on me. The Rabbit! That's what was missing. Where was The Rabbit? Why had I not seen it anywhere? Did he get rid of it or something? Oh, please no. Not the Rabbit. He loved that car. I loved that car. It was such a very good car.

"Where's the Rabbit?"

At first Jacob didn't answer me back, but then he simply answered, "I sold it."

My eyes widened when what I didn't want to have happened the most was confirmed.

"WHAT?!" I practically screamed.

Why in the world would he sell the Rabbit? Ever. Had he lost his ever loving mind? That car didn't belong anywhere other than here on the reservation. It just didn't.

In the process of freaking out I let go of the bike and pushed myself off of it from my leaning position.

"Why in the world did you sell the Rabbit?" I asked, the feeling of needing to know why overwhelming me.

"Bells, the bike," he said; he was completely avoiding answering my previous question.

I ignored him and continued. "The Rabbit does not belong anywhere else. It's...no, just no!"

I wasn't even sure what I was really saying or why I was really mad about him selling the Rabbit in the first place. Well okay, I did know; it was the memories. The memories that had been sold along with The Rabbit were more than enough reasons to be mad.

A little louder, Jake said, "Your bike, Bells!"

I heard a crashing sound and only then did it click in my head what he had been trying to get me to realize. I turned my head in the direction of the sound instantly. Whoops. I had apparently forgotten to put the kick stand back on when I let go of it. That added together with the fact that I had pushed myself off of it, I couldn't be too surprised that it had gotten away from me. Well so much for riding bikes today.

For a moment, I let the fact that the bike crashed go and turned back to face Jacob who looked like he was trying to stop from cracking a smile.

I rolled my eyes and then asked again, "Why did you sell it?" I just had to know.

"Too many memories," he answered, avoiding eye contact with me then as he went to fetch my bike.

At his words, I felt my heart drop to my stomach.

Another fear had been realized and confirmed.

**~MP~**

Half an hour of complete silence had passed by. I sat on an overturned milk crate with my legs brought up close to my chest, resting my head comfortably on my knees. Jacob had a wrench in hand and was working on repairing what he could of my accidentally crashed bike. I was surprised and happy, and I felt very lucky that the bike was even repairable at all. It had hit the tree pretty hard.

"Too many memories" kept replaying in my mind. The pain in my heart only grew each time I replayed it in my head. It was awful. He sold the Rabbit because of too many memories of our friendship. Our amazing friendship that we had after Edward left me.

Oh god. It was amazing up until Edward's return into my life...and me choosing him again. How stupid and naïve had I been? Goodness gracious me. It was my fault. I hurt him so badly and left and then he couldn't handle the memories of me so he sold the Rabbit. But wait...why did he not sell the bikes, too?

I realized that I had said that out loud when Jacob stopped working on the bike and looked up at me.

"Because," he answered, shrugging his shoulders, leaving me with no real answer to go on.

"Because why?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Because they were easy to cover up and forget about."

"How could you forget them when they were right here in the garage where you could see them?"

"Today's the first day I've been in the garage since you left," he admitted, taking me by complete surprise.

"You didn't come in here for two years?" I asked; I was so surprised by what he had just admitted to me that I couldn't come up with a better response.

He nodded his head. "It didn't feel right to come in here. So many more memories were all over this place. More memories that I couldn't get rid of by selling or covering up."

Jacob went back to working on my bike as I sat there trying to wrap my head around everything that he had just told me.

I was mentally beating myself in the head. What kind of a person was I? How could I have been so selfish back then? How could I have hurt him so badly? Was I that heartless? Or was I just a young, naïve teenager, after all? I mean, despite how grown up I had to act given the situation with Charlie and Renee and how I always felt when I was with or around Edward.

All of that thinking lead me to the million dollar question I had been wanting to ask Jake ever since last night in my room when he said he'd do everything he could to help me get my memory back. Why was he acting like everything was a-okay and putting himself into a position where I could hurt him again? Better yet, why the hell was I letting him do so?

I didn't realize that I had thought all of that out loud until I saw Jacob yet again stop what he was doing and look up at me with a look on his face that I had trouble reading. I could feel my cheeks burning red with slight embarrassment at having thought all of that out loud. I was hoping to have worded my question better before actually asking him. But apparently that's not how it worked out. Stupid mind, work with me properly for once would you?

"Well, are you going to answer my question?"

He looked at me for another few seconds before turning his attention back to the bike.

"I guess I will take that as a no," I muttered under my breath with a slightly frustrated sigh.

I was almost going to just let it go all together, but then Leah's voice rang out in my head. I remembered Leah telling me earlier this morning,

"Just make him tell you the truth."

And make him tell me the truth was exactly what I'd do. I needed answers if I had any intention of ever honestly being able to put my worry of hurting Jacob again aside and focus completely on working on somehow getting my memory back. Alright, here goes nothing.

I stood up from my position on the crate and quickly walked over to where he was and snatched the wrench out of his hand. I backed away from him as quickly as I could without busting my ass. If he wanted the wrench back to keep working on my bike then he would have to answer my question first.

"Answer my question," I demanded when he looked up at me.

"Really, Bella?" He spoke in a voice that sounded reprimanding. "You are honestly going to play it this way?"

I shook my head. "This isn't a game," I told him even though it did kind of feel like one.

"You sure about that?" he questioned, standing up. "I could easily take that wrench back from you, you know."

I certainly wasn't going to argue with that one because I knew it to be the truth. With him being a shape-shifting wolf and me being a human, I stood no chance in that battle.

"Yeah, you could," I agreed with him, nodding my head. "But you won't."

"And why not?" he asked, playing along to what was now obviously a game like he had mentioned only moments ago.

"Because I said so."

"Is that so?" he asked and I nodded my head.

Seconds later, he was moving forward quickly to grab it.

I quickly shoved the wrench down my pants before he could grab it from me. He surely wouldn't be getting it back now. Or even try to get it back. That fact made me smirk.

"You wouldn't reach into my pants for it. You are way too respectful for that," I told him, wiggling my eyebrows at him and laughing; there was no way I could stay serious with what I had just done.

"Bella, what..." Jacob started and then paused, looking down briefly at where I shoved the wrench into my pants and then quickly back up to my face.

And just like that it was a serious matter again.

"Answer my question and I'll give it back," I said, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. "Please, Jake," I pleaded with him a few moments later when he still said nothing to me, looking at him with my best pouty face.

With a sigh, he finally told me what I had been wanting to know for over 24 hours now. "I just have this feeling that things will be different this time."

"What do you mean?" I wondered curiously.

"It is just a gut feeling that I have. It's not something I can really explain."

I nodded in understanding.

His gut feeling was similar to the gut feeling that I had that made me come back to Forks when I ran away from Edward in Alaska.

**~MP~**

We talked for hours after I got the answer I somewhat wanted about any and everything, my bike's repairing forgotten completely. I honestly missed this; I missed hanging out with my Jacob. My sun. I felt so at ease like nothing could ruin the warm feeling coursing within my veins. It was a great feeling, and I couldn't imagine ever having to deal with it going away ever again.

Looking at the clock, I sighed somewhat sadly. It was going on five in the evening now. I had wanted to get home and cook dinner before Charlie got home. If I left right now, I was sure I could still make it home in time to go through with my plans. I stood up from the crate I was sitting on. Jacob followed suit already knowing without me saying a word that I had to get going.

"You should come to the bonfire tomorrow night," Jacob said after pulling me into a hug.

I smiled against his chest and nodded. "I'll definitely be there."

"Good," he smiled back at me as I pulled away.

"Today was fun. I mean, despite the accidental crashing of my bike and all." I laughed at that memory from earlier; only I could manage to accidentally cause a bike to crash without even being on it.

"Yeah, it was," he agreed.

"Alright, I will see you tomorrow night at the bonfire," I said as I reluctantly turned to leave.

"Hey, Bells!" Jacob called after me as I made my way to leave.

I paused and turned around to face him. "Yes?"

"Can I have my wrench back now?" he asked with a grin on his face.

I blushed a warm red and laughed. "Oh yeah, of course," I said, reaching into my pants to get it out.

I wondered how I had forgotten it was in my pants to begin with. Surely I would've felt it when I sat down. But I obviously didn't.

To my absolute horror, Embry and Quil walked in just as I pulled the wrench out of my pants. My eyes widened and I blushed an even deeper shade of red as their laughs boomed loudly behind me. I quickly walked over to Jacob and handed him the wrench. When I turned back to leave for real this time, I came face to face with the equally amused Embry and Quil.

"Did I just see you reach in your pants for a wrench?" Embry asked and managed to embarrass me even further.

"No," I answered obviously lying, shaking my head.

"Yes, you did. I saw it, too," Quil said, trying not at all to help the matter.

"Umm...yeah, whatever," I managed to speak before I pushed passed them and high tailed it to my car.

"You're coming to the bonfire tomorrow night, right?!" Embry called after me.

I called back, "Of course. What else is there to do on a Saturday night?"

"Great! We would've had to come make you if you didn't say yes," I heard Quil say.

I could not help but laugh at his response. "Haha! Right."

With that, I got into my car and went home. All the while, I was surely permanently causing my face to stay stained red to show off my extreme embarrassment caused by only a minute or so of one thing happening after another.

**~MP~**

By time I got home, cooked dinner for Charlie as well as myself, ate dinner, talked to Charlie some, got a shower, and dressed for bed it was about 8:30ish. I was surprisingly exhausted even though I hadn't really done too much to tire myself out earlier in the day. Unless, of course, a lot of talking was enough to tire someone out. That would explain my tiredness.

As soon as I laid down and my head hit my pillow, I was asleep in a matter of seconds.

_My eyes snapped open quickly and I gasped. I felt like all the air in my lungs was being stolen away. My insides and working organs pounded against my skin from the inside out and I was frozen where I lay. I couldn't move no matter how hard I tried or how much I prayed to God to let me move. Something was keeping me from moving even a muscle, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out what was doing it._

_I couldn't even imagine how long I laid there frozen, not only by some unseen force but out of fear as well. I didn't know why I was frozen and it scared the hell out of me. I closed my eyes hoping that when I opened them again I would wake up and realize that this was all just some horrible nightmare. But when I opened my eyes again what I saw made me scream bloody murder._

_There was a dark figure standing over me. I didn't have to see its face to know it was glaring down at me. I could also hear it growling at me. The only feature I could make out on the dark figure was glowing red eyes with a golden band around them. It wasn't like anything I had ever seen before in my life. I had no idea what the figure was, aside from scary enough to make me pray to wake up from this nightmare even more than I did before._

_The figure slowly started inching its way towards me and all I could do was scream louder and louder the closer it got to me. Oh god. This was awful. All I could think was that I was going to die. Whatever this figure was it was going to kill me. I just knew it. I mean, really, what else would it do? Smile at me and apologize for scaring the hell out of me? Yeah, right. Keep dreaming._

_Loudly, over and over again, I suddenly started screaming out, "Wake me up! Someone wake me up! Please,wake me up! Just wake me up already!"_

I sat up quickly in my bed, opening my eyes as quick as possible, all the while still screaming bloody murder from my nightmare. My whole body was drenched in a cold sweat and I couldn't contain the tears that suddenly poured out of my eyes and down my face like a dam breaking. It was awful. The nightmare had felt so completely real, like it was really happening. One of my hands instinctively found its way to where my heart was trying to beat out of my chest.

My door suddenly flew open and bounced off the wall behind it, causing me to jump. I looked up just as Charlie came rushing in.

"Are you okay, Bella?" he asked with concern written all over his face as he sat down on the edge of the bed beside me.

"I'm fine, dad," I lied as I was currently afraid of talking about the nightmare; it had felt all too real and I was afraid to talk about it already and relive it.

Charlie shook his head as he instantly saw right through my lie. "No, you're not."

"It just felt so real. It was awful," I cried out suddenly not caring about whether I was afraid or not.

I was fully aware that the only chances I had of being able to sleep soundly again was if I could vent about the nightmare to someone other than myself.

"What happened, Bella? You can tell me," Charlie said hesitantly; he wasn't sure what to do or say exactly, so he just placed a soothing hand on my shoulder.

I cried some more and managed to gasp out, "I couldn't move."

"Shh, it was just a nightmare, you're okay," Charlie spoke softly, trying his best to calm me down.

I had to commend his current efforts. It was nice of him to try.

"Do you want some water?" he asked.

I nodded my head. "That'd be good."

He smiled briefly and stood up to go get me some water.

Moments later, he returned and handed me a glass of water.

"Thank you." I smiled, trying not to seem so scared and sad anymore.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

I shook my head. "No, I do not think so right now. You can go back to bed now. I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?" he asked me, his tone clearly screaming doubtful.

"I'm sure."

"Alright well, I'm right down the hall if you need me."

"Okay," I replied as he left the room, giving me one last glance before closing the door just enough to leave it slightly cracked.

After a few minutes of just sitting there, I placed the water on to my bedside table and curled up into a fetal position under my covers. Needless to say, I was afraid to go back to sleep. Therefore, I did not get much more sleep. The rest of the night and early morning was spent tossing and turning. I was afraid to go back to sleep in fear of another more intense nightmare, if not the same one. I would be a walking and talking zombie for probably that whole next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter; The bonfire. More Bella/Leah interaction. Surprise, surprise...Bella/Paul interaction. (Just can't resist...) A sort of appearance from a stalker husband...hint, hint. And, more.
> 
> Also, based on what I have planned out already the next chapter might be the longest one yet. There's something pretty big being revealed next chapter. You've been warned.


	6. Chapter 5 - Revelations of the Worst Kind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, it is...the revelation chapter that may or may not make some people want to form a mob and come...umm...talk?...to me. Anyways...
> 
> Get yourselves ready...I'm being nice and warning you all beforehand...there's a shocker coming towards the end of the chapter. But, just trust me...it'll all work out in the end. I swear to you.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything...well, except for the plot I guess.

The next day was a complete and total drag. I was tired because of the lack of sleep after my nightmare. Being tired only made the day seem to go by even slower. It felt like forever before it was time for the bonfire. I didn't really have much planned to do for the day. Therefore, I drove my truck, god how much I had missed her, down to the bookstore in Port Angeles. I spent a few hours there reading different books to pass the time. Before I knew it, it was finally time to go home and get ready to go to the bonfire.

I was heading out to my truck after purchasing a book that I really liked, but hadn't got to finish, and me being me wasn't paying complete attention to where I was going. I didn't realize until it was too late and someone was in my walking path. I bumped into the person and jumped back quickly.

"Oh god! I'm sorry!" I exclaimed, shaking my head. "It's my fault I wasn't watching where I was going. So, so sorry," I apologized immediately,; I was momentarily afraid to make eye contact with the person I'd bumped into.

What I heard next pleasantly shocked me.

"It's not problem, truly," the person, a recognizable girl's voice, replied.

I looked up then and my eyes widened as I saw the girl and instantly recognized her. Her facial expression when she saw me was probably the same one I had on my own face.

"Bella?" she asked in a whisper of a voice that a person would use if they had just seen a ghost.

I swallowed nervously. "Angela?"

I wasn't prepared for what she did next. She launched herself at me and I was engulfed in a tight, grizzly bear hug. I was too surprised at first to do anything, but soon I was hugging her back; not nearly as tight as she was hugging me, but just enough to make it count.

"You're actually alive," she said once she pulled away from me.

I sighed. Add another dime into my hope based fund of one day owning my own bank. "Yeah, I'm alive," I unnecessarily confirmed with a nod of my head.

"I...I...wow, I never thought I'd see you again," she admitted, her voice still conveying her shock and surprise at me being there in front of her. "You just up and disappeared after the wedding..." She paused when she said the word wedding, causing me to flinch.

The reminder of me being married weighed heavy on me. A big part of me wanted to be completely free again. The other smaller part of me was still feeling entitled to Edward since I was in fact married to him. Luckily,the bigger part won over and I didn't let the smaller part take over and consume me. I came back to Forks for a reason, and I wouldn't be leaving until the reason was fulfilled; honestly, maybe not even then.

"Yeah, sorry about that," I apologized again. "It's a long story, but I'm truly sorry about whatever you may have gone through." What else was there for me to say without being a complete liar?

"So, um...are you here to stay? Or..." She trailed off with the last part out of hope for the first part, it seemed.

I nodded my head. "I'm here to stay," I answered with a smile. "I'm not sure for how long exactly, but I have a feeling it may end up being for a while."

She smiled back at me. "That is good to hear."

I agreed more than she would probably ever know.

"So how long have you been back?" she asked me with interest.

"Umm...I got back about two days ago."

"That's nice."

And now the awkwardness of reunions sets in.

I broke the awkward silence moments later. "Do you have any plans tonight?"

She waited a moment before she answered, "Yeah, I do. Why?"

"Oh, well there is a bonfire out in La Push tonight. If you had nothing to do I was going to invite you to come with me, but since you have plans..." I trailed off not sure what to say next.

"We can rein check," she suggested, hope sounding very clear in her voice.

"That'd be nice," I agreed, nodding my head.

"It'll be nice to catch up sometime." Angela smiled. "My number's still the same."

"Mine, too."

"Alright, well, I should get going now," she said after another moment of awkward silence. "Don't want to miss out on my plans."

"Yeah, I should go, too," I replied, wanting nothing more than to go home and get ready; I needed a fun night at the beach with my friends. "I need to get ready for the bonfire."

She walked forward and hugged me again, not as tightly as the last one. I hugged her back easily this time.

"It was so nice to see you again." She grinned, pulling away. "Call me, or I will call you."

"Whoever calls first," I compromised.

"Sounds reasonable." She laughed before we both went out separate ways.

**~MP~**

After my reunion with Angela, I returned home to get ready for the bonfire. I changed into a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a pair of sneakers, topping it off with a comfortable hoodie. Then I left for Jacob's. It was a bit early, so I figured he'd still be at home. I was hoping to catch up with him so we could walk down to the beach together. For old times sake.

I was proven right as soon as I pulled into the driveway. I hadn't even turned the truck off before my door was thrown open and I was pulled into the tight hug I couldn't imagine ever going another day without. I could live in his arms for the rest of my life and I wouldn't complain even once. That weirdly sounded so perfect. 

After a few moments of just being there in his arms and hugging him back I realized I was missing some much needed oxygen. Stupid need for oxygen. Reluctantly, I tried to get out of his grip. He didn't want to let me go; I didn't blame him. I didn't want to let him go either, but I had to.

"I can not breathe, Jake. Human, remember?" I managed to gasp.

"Oh, right," he said with a small laugh as he reluctantly pulled away from me. 

Once free from his grasp, I took in a few much needed breaths and worked on bringing my breathing back down to normal.

"You're here early," he said. "Not that I'm complaining," he added after a second.

I cracked a smile. "You sure?" I teased. 

He thought for a moment before he smirked, "Yeah, maybe you're right."

I knew he was just playing along with me, but I still felt the urge to slap him on the arm for that, so I did. "Hey!" I scolded.

He laughed, giving me that toothy grin of his. "Just playing along, Bells."

"I know, but still."

"So did you come here early for a reason?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow at me.

I nodded my head. "I was hoping I'd catch you in time so we could walk to the bonfire together."

"Lucky you, you're just in time," he informed me. "I was just about to go now."

"Good for me then."

"Let me just go get a shirt and let dad know I'm leaving."

I frowned, but quickly hid it with a small smile. Why did he have to put a shirt on? I like him better without one. " _Darn it,_ Bella!" I scolded myself silently. _"Keep your hormonal thoughts in check. You are not a darn teenager anymore."_

"Okay," I managed to say. "I will come in and say hi. I haven't seen Billy since I've been back," I said as I did not want to wait outside by myself.

He nodded and turned and we walked into the house together. He went straight to his room to get a shirt, and I stood in the living room just as Billy came in.

"Hi, Billy," I smiled brightly at him.

"Bella, hi. It's good to see you back again." He smiled back at me. "Alive," he added under his breath, but I still heard him.

Another dime to be added to the fund. My dream of owning my own bank really seemed to be going somewhere rather quickly.

I ignored his alive comment, pretending that I didn't hear it and nodded. "And it is good to be back."

There was a sudden awkward silence. Luckily, Jake returned (with a shirt on) a few seconds later.

"We're going to head down to the beach now," he said looking at Billy.

Billy nodded in understanding, a smile still playing at his lips. "Have fun."

I followed a now shirt clad Jake out of the house. I frowned at the shirt the whole way out. The frown was quickly hidden when Jake and I were walking next to each other down to the beach.

"Everything okay?" Jake asked suddenly, taking me slightly off guard.

I looked up at him in confusion. "Huh? Yeah, everything's fine," I told him. "Why wouldn't it be?" 

Jake shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. You just seem a little down today."

Oh, right. That. "Oh, that," I said with a sigh, waving it off as nothing even though it was definitely something. "It's really nothing. I just didn't get much sleep last night."

"Why not?" he asked with an honest hint of concern in his voice.

"Had a nightmare," I answered simply, shrugging my shoulders at it. "Then I spent the rest of the night tossing and turning." The nightmare was still partially embedded in my head; It had felt so real.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, it's fine." 

He turned his head and raised an eyebrow at me. "You sure?" he questioned. "It's been said that talking about a nightmare with someone lowers the chances of it returning again."

I laughed before I asked, "Where was that said?" I had never heard that one before.

"Not sure." He shrugged. "I just remember hearing it or reading it somewhere."

I nodded my head and spoke sarcastically, "Right." I reconsidered his offer for a moment and decided in the end to rein-check. "Maybe I'll take you up on that offer if I ever have another one."

Jake smiled and nodded his head in understanding. "I'll be here when you need me."

I smiled back. "As always."

"Of course," he agreed as we fell into a comfortable silence for the rest of the walk. 

Not long later we were on the beach where the rest of the pack and some others I didn't recognize were. And after that it wasn't much longer before Leah came over and pulled me away from Jake, who looked confused along with the rest of the pack by Leah not seeming to hate me like she use to.

I offered him and the others a "We're sort of friends, now," with a nonchalant shrug of my shoulders before I let Leah pull me away from everyone.

"So did you talk to Jake about what you told me yesterday?" Leah asked when we were out of earshot of Jake and the rest of the pack.

I nodded my head. "Yeah, I did." I shouldn't have been too surprised that she was asking me about it.

"And you got what you wanted to know out of him?" she wondered curiously.

I nodded my head once again. "With some coaxing, yes."

She suddenly stopped walking, causing me stop also. Then she turned to me, a smirk very evident on her face. "So where does the wrench in the pants fit into it all?"

I rolled my eyes as I shook my head and laughed. "Oh, god," I muttered, silently cursing the day both Quil and Embry were born. "I should've known they'd show everyone once you were all phased."

"Of course." Leah chuckled. "Pack mind, it's hard to hide such things from the others. So..." She urged me to answer her question.

"I took it from him and wouldn't give it back until he answered my question," I answered, knowing she wouldn't let it go until I did.

"And the wrench was in your pants because?" She urged me on again.

"Because he tried to take it back from me, but I wanted answers first so my pants were the safest place for it since he'd never stick his hand down there without my permission," I told her, blushing with slight embarrassment, but not as much as the day before.

Leah raised an eyebrow and then decided to wiggle them both instead. "So then you would give him permission?"

My eyes widened, my jaw dropped slightly, and I shrieked, "Leah!"

"What?! It's an honest question," she said, speaking like she was so very innocent. I knew where she was getting at; she was kind of right.

"I plead the fifth," I said instantly.

Leah flashed me a small, knowing grin. "I'm sure you do."

"Oh, shut up!" I exclaimed, turning and stalking away from her back to the bonfire.

**~MP~**

A while later, I was sitting on a log around the fire minding my own business when I felt someone sit down next to me. I looked over and was shocked to find Paul sitting there. I was so sure that he hated me. So why was he sitting next to me. Well okay, in retrospect, I had thought Leah hated me, too, but now we were sort of friends. And friends just don't hate each other. Well, I mean, for the most part they don't hate each other.

"Well, this is awkward," I spoke when he said nothing. 

"What makes you say that?" he asked, side-eyeing me.

"I'm just surprised you're sitting here next to me," I answered honestly, remembering how he reacted my first day back.

"And why's that?" He wondered as he turned to look at me.

I looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. "What? Does taking one look at me and then storming out of Sam and Emily's the other day not ring a bell?" 

"Oh, that," he said in a way that sounded as if realization had just dawned on him.

"I get it. I completely understand why you hate me. Really, I do," I said not sure what else to say other than that.

"I don't hate you," he admitted, taking me by complete surprise.

"You don't?" I asked him; I was honestly stunned by his confession.

"No, I don't," he answered, shaking his head. "No, alright. Yeah, I did," he confessed after rethinking his first answer. "But that's before Jake showed us all the conversation between the two of you from the other day."

"Yeah, Leah told me he told you all to go easy on me," I mentioned, feeling slightly like I did the day before thinking that Leah had only been nice to me because of what Jake said.

As if sensing what I was thinking, Paul said, "If it makes you feel any better, you know I wouldn't just be nice to you because he said to."

I smiled as a soft chuckle escaped me. "Thank you for that." 

"Sure thing."

I had the sudden feeling that someone was watching us. Looking around, my eyes landed on Jake, and my suspicion was confirmed. He was glaring our way. But I was certain it wasn't me he was glaring at. It was Paul. I wondered why Jake was glaring at him. Had something happened that I didn't know about?

Turning back to Paul, I wondered, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why's Jake glaring at you?" I asked, making sure that the interest I felt was clear in my voice.

"He's not my biggest fan. Never was, but he is especially not big on me now," Paul answered, looking passed me at Jake and then back at me.

"Why? What happened?" 

"I imprinted," he answered, taking me by complete surprise yet again.

I was shocked. Paul imprinted. Wow. Well that sure explained why he wasn't as moody as he use to be. I wondered who the girl is? Obviously she was pretty good if she could keep Paul in line. But then again, doesn't an imprintee already have that effect on the imprinter to begin with?

"You did?! On who?!" I found myself asking him, excited to know more about what happened and how it happened; I just couldn't help acting like a total girl over the situation despite me being far from a normal girl when it came to relationships and how I viewed them.

Paul didn't answer, but looked back at Jake again and then down at the sand.

It wasn't hard after watching his actions to put two and two together rather quickly. "Wait, Jake's not happy with you, and...oh my gosh! You imprinted on Rachel?!" I asked, jaw dropped, and eyes wide.

Paul lifted his head back up and smirked. "You're quick on the uptake, Swan."

"Wow! Hmm, so that definitely explains the "If only I could kill you without consequences" glare," I said, the shock of realization still dawning on me.

Paul nodded his head, agreeing with me. "It does." After a moment, he said, "I should go find Rachel. Before Jake blows a gasket."

I looked towards Jake and then back at Paul. "Why would he lose it?

"Because I am here next to you," Paul answered without hesitation.

"Why would he..." I started to ask, confused.

Paul cut me off. "You know how he feels about you...we all do...and you know how he is about you," he reminded me. "He doesn't trust me."

"Ah, yeah, that makes sense."

Paul got up to leave. "See you around," he said with a small smile that I found myself having to get use to.

I looked up at him and nodded. "Okay."

Once he walked away, I looked back over at Jake and saw that he had calmed down a bit now that Paul wasn't anywhere near me. I found his behavior odd. So I just smiled at him and he smiled back. Then I got up to go over to the cooler to get a drink. 

At the cooler, I bumped into Seth.

"Bella!" he exclaimed, pulling me into a hug before I had the chance to say or do anything.

"Seth!" I mocked his exclamation and hugged him back with a laugh.

"It's so good to see you here and alive." He smiled, causing me to let out a chuckle.

Yet another dime added to the fund. I wondered how many more dimes I had in store for me?

"What's so funny?" he asked me, raising an eyebrow in confusion and curiosity.

I laughed and waved it off. "Nothing. Just an inside joke."

"What inside joke?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, just every time someone says they're happy to see me...alive, I add an imaginary dime to my jar fund for me owning my own bank one day in the future," I explained probably sounding like an idiot, but I couldn't find it in me to care; it was too funny.

"How many dimes do you have so far?"

I shrugged and answered sarcastically, "Who knows? A few hundred, or maybe a few more."

We both had a good laugh from that.

"So what have you been up to?" I asked when our laughing died down a bit.

Seth's face lit up as he told me, "I've got a girlfriend."

"Really?" I asked, surprised. "That's great." I congratulated him.

Seth nodded his head in agreement as his face lit up more, if that was even possible. "Yeah, it is." 

"Who's the lucky girl?"

"Hold on a second," he said before disappearing behind me somewhere.

He returned probably only seconds later with a beautiful, petite, young girl with blackish blue hair by his side.

"Bella, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Mina." His grin went from ear to ear. "Mina, this is Bella," Seth introduced us.

"I've heard so much about you!" she exclaimed happily, shocking me with a hug. What's up with people and hugs in this town nowadays? "It's really nice to finally meet you."

 I half returned the hug and agreed, "It's nice to meet you as well." I looked from Seth to Mina and back to Seth as I pulled away. "So did you..." I trailed off not sure if Mina knew about imprinting or not.

"Imprint?" Seth asked, finishing my question for me.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Yes, he did," Mina said with a smile.

"And you are both okay with it?" I asked curiously, knowing just how much of a touchy subject imprinting could be.

Seth smiled and nodded his head as he put an arm around Mina and pulled her closer to him.

"I'm fine with it," Mina answered. "He didn't tell me about the imprint until after I had confessed my feelings for him because he didn't want me to feel obligated to be with him," she explained. "So it's all good."

I smirked at Seth. "How gentlemanly of you, letting the girl decide despite the circumstances."

Seth shrugged and grinned. "I try my best." 

All three of us laughed.

"Well good for the both of you. I'm happy for you," I said with a sincere smile on my face.

Seth and Mina replied to me in unison, "Thank you."

I smiled at how cute they were together, speaking in unison and all. I looked passed the two of them and my eyes fell on Jake, who was intently watching me. A warm feeling spread through me and I smiled even brighter than I already was; my mouth was beginning to hurt from how much I was smiling right then. He smiled back. Not just any smile, but he actually smiled _my_ smile back. I could've passed out right then and there from that smile alone. But that would have been a complete embarrassment.

**~MP~**

The sky was dark and the only light on the beach now was from the moonlight glistening off of the water and the bonfire crackling in the middle of the beach. I was sitting with Emily and Mina and we were just goofing off and talking about girl things; we were being normal woman, it was nice after the craziness of the passed few days. 

I'm not sure what the current conversation was really about because I was constantly glancing in Jake's direction. We were both playing the "You look when I'm not looking, and then I'll look when you're not looking" game. My heart felt like it was stopping every time we'd both slip up and look at each other at the same time. We would both look away quickly and go about acting as if we hadn't caught each other red handed.

I was about to glance at Jake again when something that Mina said peaked my interest.

"You know, Elena hasn't been around in a week or so," she said and then gasped.

I looked towards her just as Emily and Mina's eyes both widened, and Mina slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Shoot! I'm sorry!" she said, looking like she was about to have a panic attack or something.

I wasn't sure who Elena was or why they were acting like mentioning her was a bad thing. I had never heard of Elena before. Who was Elena? And that is exactly what I asked, "Who's Elena?"

"Umm...I've already said too much," she said, shaking her head frantically and looking down at the sand.

That concerned me big time. I asked again and looked at Emily this time knowing that I wasn't going to get anything out of Mina. "Who's Elena, Emily?" 

Emily shook her head. "I...I can't...I...I shouldn't...It's not my place," she said in a pleading voice that was pleading with me not to make her tell me. 

I asked louder this time suddenly needing to know who Elena was. Why were Emily and Mina acting like this? Who the hell was Elena? "Who is she?!"

Emily took a deep breath and whispered, "She was Jake's imprint."

If I hadn't been so taken back I might've heard the _was_ , but I was too shocked. Jake had imprinted. Oh god. Jake had imprinted! I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to look in his direction, but I was afraid of what I'd see. Could he have been paying attention and overheard our conversation? Or would me looking at him give something away? Oh, god. I couldn't look at him right then. No, I couldn't.

"I have to go!" I exclaimed, standing up and walking as fast as I could; I partially broke out in a run, praying silently that Jake wouldn't see and come after me.

"Bella!" I heard a voice call after me.

I was too busy trying to hold back tears to recognize the voice. "Bella! Are you okay?"

I turned around to find Seth behind me. "Yeah, I'm fine." I nodded my head and gave him a half hearted smile of assurance. "I am just feeling a little sick all of a sudden," I lied, hoping that he would actually buy it. "I'm gonna go home and try and sleep it off." 

"Do you want me to drive you home?" He offered sweetly.

I shook my head. "Thank you, but no. I'll be fine," I assured him, placing my hand on his arm for a brief second.

"Okay." He looked doubtful, but let it go.

I sighed a sigh of relief that he wasn't pushing the situation. I just wanted to go home and pretend that the last part of tonight had never happened. "I'll see you later," I said before turning and running off; I did not stop running until I was in view of my truck.

Once I was safely locked in my truck, the waterworks started. I sat there for a few minutes trying to get my bearings together before driving. I didn't want to end up in another coma anytime soon. Driving with tears blocking my eyes would more than likely do just that for me, or possibly even worse. After another minute or two, I was finally capable enough to drive. I pulled out of the driveway and drove home like my life depended on it, which in a way, it really did.

**~MP~**

When I got home all I wanted was a hot, relaxing shower and to go to bed. I didn't want to think about what I found out not even an hour earlier. It hurt way too much. Just the thought of Jacob, my Jacob im...okay, no, can't do it. Not strong enough to actually go there.

"No, no more tears Bella." I wiped frantically at the tears on my face. "No, no, no. Don't, you can't. Be strong," I told myself out loud, climbing the stairs to go shower and sleep.

It was only me at home, since Charlie had to work the night shift for whatever reason he told me earlier that I couldn't for the life of me remember, so I went straight to the shower. When I got out I wrapped a towel around my body and walked back to my room. I stopped abruptly as soon as I made it into the doorway. There was a box on my bed. A box that wasn't there before. Looking around, I surveyed my room and saw that nothing was out of the ordinary.

Slowly and cautiously, I entered my room and walked over to my bed. I picked up the box and opened it very slowly. I gasped when I saw what was in it. It was my wedding ring that I forgot I had even left in Alaska when I ran away. There was a note inside as well. I opened the note and read it.

_Bella, my love..._

_You left your ring in Alaska, so I brought it to you. I'd like you to put it back on. Everyone should know that you are still, and always will be, mine._

_Yours for eternity,_

_Edward_

After reading the note, I was furious. The note wasn't even what made me mad. Well, alright honestly, maybe a little bit. But it was mainly the fact that he had been in my room. Whether we were actually married or not, he had no right being in my room without me knowing. And for what? To give me my ring and tell me to put it back on so he could stake his claim. Oh, hell no.

I had half a mind to throw the ring in the trash. Or, even better, to throw it out the window and let it get lost in the night somewhere. But that would be overreacting on my part. So instead I angrily slammed the box closed, walked over to my desk, and threw the box down. Then I ripped up the letter and threw _it_ in the trash because that wasn't overreacting. I honestly had no need for the note anymore.

I wasn't some inanimate object to be owned. Married or not, I sure as hell didn't belong to anybody. Only me, myself, and I.

All of this was so unlike me. But I had made it clear to him and myself that I was a new and improved Bella. A Bella that wouldn't take such a thing from him, or anyone for that matter. I was going to stay true to my new self, too. There would be no me resorting back to my old self. Not if the new me had a say in it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some interesting revelations happened in this chapter. I know some of you are probably not going to be happy, but don't ban together to hurt me for it just yet. Let me...or better yet let Jake explain it all in the next chapter. Maybe I'll...we'll...make up for it. Pretty please...with your very own Jake on top?! ;)
> 
> Next chapter; Bella confronts Jacob about Elena. And, some more interesting revelations are revealed. Also, another nightmare for poor Bella. But, it's all for the best in the end.


	7. Chapter 6 - Revelations of a Better Kind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you read the chapter I just want to say that I never really liked the whole idea of imprinting...well, not how SM explained it anyways. So, this chapter is partially my own little twist on imprinting. I hope you all like it!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything...well, except for the plot I guess. On, and now, I also happen to own Mina.

When I woke up the next morning, I was just as tired as I had been the morning before. I had tossed and turned all night. But this time it wasn't because of a nightmare. Well, it sort of was. Knowing that Jacob had imprinted and that he was lost to me in all ways other than us just being friends for the rest of our lives was a nightmare that came to life for me. I shouldn't feel like I do about it, though. I left him. I had no right to feel sad or be jealous. I missed my chance. I left, he was heartbroken, he met his soul mate, and he imprinted. End of story. There was nothing for me to do about it. Or that I could do for that matter.

I knew it was bound to happen. He was bound to imprint no matter what. It would've happened sooner or later, anyways, whether I stayed or not, wouldn't it have? So that was another reason I shouldn't be sad or jealous. Well okay, sad, yes. Despite knowing that it was going to happen sooner or later, it still didn't lessen the blow that I felt had been dealt to me. I might as well have been hit over the head with a brick or something. Although, my heart already felt like it had been ripped out of my chest, shipped to Paris, and dropped from the Eiffel Tower only to shatter into a million pieces by time upon hitting the ground. Feeling like this sucked more than my life itself at times.

Which brings me to another thing. Jacob had every chance in the world to tell me, but he didn't. What the hell?! As if my heart wasn't already shattered now that I knew he was imprinted. It repaired itself for only a moment before it reshattered itself at the fact that I had to find out about his imprint from someone I barely knew. Why the hell didn't he tell me? He should've told me! No reason in the world would be good enough to explain to me why he hadn't told me he imprinted. What, was I not deserving enough to hear it from his own mouth as opposed to someone else's?

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a noise at my window. My eyes flew open and I gasped as I saw someone standing over me. Instinctively, one of my hands flew up to where my heart was suppose to be. Well what was left of it anyway. I was waiting for the shipment back from Paris that would have contain my shattered heart pieces for me to puzzle piece back together. It took me a moment, but I realized that it was just Leah standing over me and that I had no reason to get scared or anything about seeing a figure standing over me.

"What are you doing here, Leah?" I asked once I found my voice.

" I came to check up on you," she answered, crossing her arms.

"Oh," was all I said as I sat up and slowly brought my knees up to my chest.

I wonder if she knew that I knew about Jacob imprinting. Had Mina or Emily said something to anyone after I left so abruptly last night?

"Everything okay, Swan?" she asked me as she eyed me questioningly.

I'll take that as a no, neither Emily or Mina said anything to anyone after I left.

"You're acting strange. And you left pretty quickly last night," Leah went on when I said nothing.

"Jacob imprinted?" was all that came out when I opened my mouth to speak. It sounded more like a question than anything even though I already knew the answer.

"Oh, that," Leah said with a sigh as she sat down on the edge of my bed. "So then you know about Elena now?"

I flinched at her name and if it was even possible brought my legs closer to me and laid my head down on my knees.

Leah noticed my flinch. "Sorry. My bad."

"It's fine," I said, shaking my head.

Jacob imprinted. I was going to have to learn to live with it if I still wanted to be in his life.

"Why didn't he tell me?" I asked, holding back tears that started to quiver in my eyes.

"It's complicated," Leah said, avoiding my gaze.

I scoffed at her. "Yeah, of course, it is," I replied sarcastically.

Leah looked up at me then and I saw a look that I wasn't use to seeing in her eyes. She felt bad; she felt sorry for me. "You need to talk to him," was all she said.

"I don't know," I whispered, looking down and playing with a loose strand of string on my pajama tank top.

"Seriously, Swan? You're really going to do this again?" Leah asked, taking me by surprise, jumping up from my bed and turning to face me.

I looked up at her, confused by her sudden reaction. "Do what again?"

"Don't run away and go back into hiding now, Swan. Be the strong, confident girl you've been lately and just confront him about it. Otherwise, you're never going to be able to get past it," she told me in a demanding tone of voice, not bothering with giving me a choice.

"Does Jacob know I know?" I asked.

Leah shook her head. "No one does. I mean, except for whoever told you about El..." she stopped herself this time and for that I was thankful. " _Her_ ," Leah corrected herself.

"They really didn't tell anyone?" I was surprised. Not even Sam or Seth? Interesting.

"No, everyone just assumed you weren't feeling well like you told Seth."

"I don't think I could handle the imprint conversation with Jake...Jacob," I admitted. Oh, gosh. I couldn't even just call him Jake anymore. What was wrong with me? I didn't like this at all.

"Don't you even, Swan. He put up with so much from you for a long time. You don't think he could honestly handle the conversations you had when you told him he wasn't enough or that you chose that leech over him. Those weren't easy for him, but he forced himself to go through them anyways. You can be a coward and hide. Or you can grow up and give Jacob the same treatment of respect he gave you." Leah was almost livid by time she had finished talking.

"I...I..." I couldn't get any other words out. I did not know what to say. I was speechless.

"I have to go," Leah said suddenly. "You best think about what I said, Swan," she told me before disappearing out my window the same way she came in.

I sat in the same position with my head resting on my knees for what felt like hours thinking everything through. It wasn't until the phone rang that I was shaken out of my speechless, zombie like state. Pushing and kicking the covers off of me, I got out of bed and went to answer the phone. I was quite shocked when I answered and Emily was on the line. Although, maybe I shouldn't have been so shocked. I should've expected a call from her to check on me sooner or later.

"Hi, Emily," I said into the phone.

"Bella, hi. How are you doing today?" she asked in a sincere tone of voice.

"To tell you the truth, I've been better," I answered, trying not to sound as down as I felt.

There was a silent pause for a moment before Emily spoke again.

"I was wondering if you would like to come over today," she offered.

"Umm..." I thought about it for a moment. I didn't have any plans for the day. "Yeah, sure," I said. "I'll be there in half an hour or so."

"Oh, good. We'll see you then."

We'll? Before I could ask who the we were she had hung up. Who's we? Oh, well, no point in wondering about who we is. I'll know soon enough. I hung up the phone and went to change into my clothes for the day before heading to Emily's.

  **~MP~**

It was a little past 10:30 in the morning when I finally arrived at Sam and Emily's house. After parking and turning off my truck, I sat there for a couple of minutes with my head resting on the steering wheel thinking about so many things. I was a little hesitant about being there now. I know I had told Emily I'd come, but the closer I got to La Push on the drive over, the more I had began to freak out. What if the pack showed up at the house when I was there? I still wasn't sure if I wanted to have the imprint talk with Jacob just yet. I was scared out of my mind wondering about what he would say or do. I was even more scared of how I'd react. Would I break down and kick start Bella cry fest 2013? How embarrassing would that be?

I suddenly jumped and gasped when I heard a knock on my window. My head shot up from the steering wheel and I looked over to the window. I couldn't help but smile when I saw Emily there with a smile on her face. I reached down to the door handle and pushed my door open slowly. Emily backed up to let me get out. Once I got out and shut the door, Emily grabbed me and pulled me into a tight yet gentle hug.

"Everything okay?" she asked with concern written all over her beautifully scarred face when she pulled away.

Obviously I wasn't okay. It wasn't everyday that I found out my best friend who just so happened to be a werewolf had imprinted on someone that wasn't me. Wait, don't think that, Bella. You're still married. Oh, what the hell was wrong with me? One moment, I was feeling bad about missing my chance with Jacob. The next, I was suddenly still married, which was true...but still. It was like there were two Bella's. Jacob's Bella who was stepping up and voicing her thoughts clearly without second guessing. Then there was Edward's Bella, the Bella who I once had been, who was being outshined and kept quiet for the most part by Jacob's Bella, but who found her way out every so often at some of the worst time's possible.

Shaking my head and breaking myself out of my thoughts, I nodded my head to answer Emily's question. I was afraid to say anything because I knew I'd breakdown if I did speak. The "yes" lie would be oh so clear. Not that it wasn't already.

Emily smiled a genuinely sad yet hopeful smile at me. "Come on inside," she said, taking my hand and leading me to the house. "Mina's here," she informed me as we walked up the small set of stairs that lead up to the porch.

I had only just stepped into the house when my body was engulfed in an unexpected hug.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have slipped up like I did," Mina apologized profusely.

"It's fine, Mina," I assured her as I partly hugged her back. I still was not much of a hugger. I never was and I probably never would be. But there were times when I accepted them and hugged back. "It was honestly an accidental slip up. We all have them."

"Yeah, but this one ruins lives." Mina frowned, pulling away from me and turning to go back and sit down at the table, her head instantly going to lay in her hands.

"No, it doesn't, Mina." I tried my best at being reassuring as I sat down next to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

It killed me to see her blaming herself for me finding out like this. It was not her fault at all. She really did just accidentally slip up and reveal it to me. Everybody has moments like that once or twice in their lives. But it doesn't mean that feeling guilty was really necessary. It wasn't like somebody let it slip that someone else killed someone or anything. Mina had no reason to feel guilty.  _He_ should've told me the first chance he got. But _he_ didn't. If anyone was to blame for me finding out how I did, it was _him_.

"Yes, it does," Mina argued as she lifted her head from her hands. "Everything was getting back to normal with you and Jake and then I slipped up and you found out about..." Mina stopped herself before she slipped up with  _her_ name again.

I shook my head in disagreement at her guilt ridden words. I refused to let her blame herself any longer. It really wasn't her fault. "Mina, It's not your fault. Really it's not. _He_ should've told me," I said and then something broke in me suddenly. Tears began welling up in my eyes. "Why didn't he tell me? He should've told me. We're best friends for crying out loud. Best friends usually tell each other everything! He should've told me!" I exclaimed hysterically.

I felt Emily come up beside me and place a hand on my shoulder soothingly. "Bella, calm down. Don't work yourself up over this," she said in a gentle and calming tone of voice.

"Sorry," I apologized.

"It's fine," Emily said with a small smile.

"He just should've just me," I whispered.

Emily nodded her head, agreeing with me. "He should have."

"So why didn't he then?" I asked even despite knowing she probably wouldn't have an answer; I asked anyways just to get it off of my chest.

"I wish I knew. I wish I could help you understand what's going on better, but I can't," she answered honestly. "Only the pack knows exactly what is going on, but for some reason none of them will tell us what it is." She sighed.

That last part definitely got my attention. "Wait, they knew, too?!" I asked, my eyes widened in shock. "Of course they did," I answered my own question. "And none of them felt the need to inform me or at least try to talk Jake into telling me?!"

Emily tried to calm me down again by offering me a drink. "Can I get you something to drink, Bella?" she offered. "Coffee? Tea?"

I nodded. "Coffee, please." I was never much of a coffee drinker before, but ever since waking up from my coma, I'd been a coffee lover. Weird, but true.

Emily nodded and smiled going into the kitchen area to make some coffee.

"There's something deeper going on," Mina cut in before I could continue my tirade about the pack knowing but doing nothing to try and help the situation. Even though deep down I knew it wasn't exactly their place to get involved.

"What do you mean?" I asked; I was slightly taken off guard by what she said.

Mina just shrugged and answered, "Well, Seth didn't tell me much, but he did let it slip once...a few days ago...that something had changed with Jacob and Elena's imprint..."

I flinched at the mention of her name. I just couldn't stomach hearing _her_ name right now.

"Sorry," Mina apologized quickly upon realizing her slip up of _her_ name.

"It's fine," I waved it off, trying to be assuring. "What changed?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "He wouldn't say," Mina answered. "He stopped himself from saying anything else after that," she said and then looked away from me.

A part of me felt like I was being lied to. Both Emily and Mina knew more than they were letting on. I knew I should probably be a bit mad about it. But then when I thought about it more, maybe what they weren't telling me was something that they thought Jacob should tell me. They didn't want me to find anything else out from someone else when I should find it out from Jacob himself. I couldn't be mad at them because of that. It just wouldn't be right.

"Here you go, Bella," Emily said, walking back over to me and handing me a hot cup of coffee.

"Thanks," I smiled up at her taking the coffee and blowing on it before taking a sip.

Before I could even relax and enjoy my coffee, I heard voices outside. My breath hitched in my throat and I quickly put the coffee cup down out of fear that I would spill it all over myself if I didn't. Oh, god. It was going to happen right now. I was going to come face to face with Jacob for the first time since my revelation from the night before. This was too much. I suddenly wished that the floor would open up and swallow me whole. But I wasn't that lucky.

I stood up just as Jacob walked in. No one else mattered much in that moment. All I could see right then was him, but it wasn't for the reason I would have liked it to be. It was because I was trying to see if he had changed. Before last night he was still the same old Jacob. My Jacob. But now that I knew he had imprinted, I wondered if I'd be able to tell from the outside. Did he look like someone else's Jacob now?

My thoughts were interrupted when I felt Jacob's arms around me. I honestly wanted to hug him back. But I couldn't bring myself to do so. I knew I'd end up breaking down if I did.

When he realized I wasn't responding to his hug, Jacob pulled away. With a concerned look on his voice and a tone of voice to match he asked, "Everything okay, Bells?"

"Depends on your definition of okay," I found myself answering.

Jacob frowned. "Leah mentioned you had something to talk to me about," he said suddenly.

Of course she did. She probably assumed that I'd change my mind and back out, which is partly true because all I wanted to do was run and hide right now. I was absolutely afraid of how the conversation....confrontation....or whatever it would be would go. But now that Leah had said something I had to talk to him.

I avoided eye contact with him and said, "Yeah, we should talk."

It was now or never.

"Okay," Jacob said, nodding in understanding.

I walked past him and went outside fully knowing that he would follow me. Just have to rip the band aid off. Staying facing away from him I got straight to the point. "Were you ever going to tell me about Elena?" I asked, trying to keep myself calm.

I could sense him freeze behind me without even looking at him. "How do you know about Elena?" he asked as he completely passed over my question.

"Answer my question first," I insisted.

Jacob sighed. "I don't know."

Really now Jacob? What a great answer. Insert sarcasm!

"You don't know?" I scoffed. "Why wouldn't you? I'm your best friend! Don't you think this is the type of thing to tell your best friend?" I asked,  turning abruptly to face him.

"You're more than just a best friend to me and you know it," he said, which did not exactly help his case.

At first, I wasn't sure how to respond to that. "It is basically still the same thing," I said after a moment.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Elena and I aren't together anymore," he replied as if that made a difference.

"That still does not answer my question, Jacob," I sighed in frustration, crossing my arms tightly over my chest.

"It just wasn't that big of a deal!"

My eyes widened. Did he really just actually say that? "You imprinting was not a big deal?@ How is that not a big deal?! You've found your imprint...your life mate! That is a big deal!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms up in the air as if to say I give up.

Why did he make it seem like it meant nothing? Like everything was okay? It made no sense. Not even in the slightest.

"No, it's really not," he argued as he paced back and forth in front of me.

"How can it not be?" I asked, wondering if there was more to the situation for me to understand that he wasn't telling me.

He stopped pacing abruptly and finally admitted, "Because it was broken."

Broken? Did I hear that right?

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, trying to figure out if I was hearing things or if I was actually hearing right.

"The imprint was broken," Jacob repeated, walking up to me and placing his hands on my upper arms.

"Wha...how? I thought that imprints are for life?" I was honestly confused. None of this was making any sense at all.

"They are. But everyone seems to think that it was some sort of a secondary imprint," he said, only succeeding in confusing me even more.

"Secondary imprint?" That didn't even sound right. What the heck was that?

"I imprinted the day after you got married to... _him._ And the imprint broke a week and two days ago," he told me. That didn't seem to answer the question of what a secondary imprint was. But it still surprised me.

"Wait, what? You...it...but that coincides with when I woke up...what the hell?"

Jacob shrugged his shoulders. "No one really knows. It has never happened to anyone before."

"Does anyone have any ideas?" I asked curiously, hating not understanding what happened.

It was one thing to have amnesia, but to not know something that I easily could, it was another thing altogether and it sucked so much.

"There are a few."

"Well what are they?"

Jacob did not tell me right away. He dropped his hands from their positions on my arms and turned away from me. "Some think that you're suppose to be my real imprint."

My eyes widened, and my jaw dropped. I couldn't reply to that even if I tried. That's one way to drop a bomb on me. Nice going, Jacob.

Jacob continued to talk when I didn't say anything. "And that when you slipped into your coma, I imprinted on Elena because it wasn't known whether or not you'd wake up or not. For some reason the elders think that imprints happen one way or another no matter whether it's wanted or not. That's what everyone thinks the reason is behind why Elena and I stayed imprinted until you woke up."

I was speechless for so long after that. What the hell? What was I suppose to say to that? "How is that even possible? You didn't imprint on me like an imprint is suppose to happen," I wondered, working on wrapping my head around everything that I was being told.

"There is a theory on that as well."

"What's that?" I asked, wanting to know anything that could possibly help me understand all of this better.

"Your heart belonged to someone else at that time," he said almost too quiet for me to even hear.

"And it doesn't now?"

Jacob looked up at me. "I don't know, does it?

"I am not sure," I answered honestly.

I really wasn't. I may feel differently about Edward lately and he may annoy me a lot, but I still loved him. I couldn't just fall out of love with him at the snap of my fingers. It would take time. But I don't think I'd ever stop loving him. However, with time, I'm sure my heart would return to belonging to me instead of him. Then if everything went right, I could give it to Jacob if that's what I chose to do. If I was to be honest about it, Jacob is the only other person I could ever see myself giving my heart to. I know without a single doubt that he'd take very good care of it if and when I did.

 

**~MP~**

With my lack of sleep from the past two nights and my revelation during my conversation with Jacob earlier, it was no surprise that I crashed as soon as I got home that night. I wasn't sure what time it was, but I was pretty sure that it wasn't even dark out yet.

_"You're mine! You're mine! You're mine! You're mine!" The voice got louder and louder every time it said the two word phrase._

_I was running as fast as I could through the woods. It was as if the voice was following me. I knew it was the voice of the dark figure. But it was all muffled as if it had a mask on it's face blocking it's normal voice. So I couldn't place a name to the figure. I ran and ran, but no matter how fast I ran it was as if I could never get away from the figure and the voice._

_I was being stalked by an unknown entity. It was like I was a game to it or something. Like I was a prize that it got to keep if it caught up to me or if it's words got into my head enough to make me lose my mind. I couldn't let it win. I could not fall into its trap. I had to get out of this alive. Whatever it was wasn't something I wanted to have anything to do with._

_I ran as fast as my feet would take me until I heard a growl in front of me. I stopped dead in my tracks and swallowed the nervous lump that formed in my throat when I saw a glowing pair of eyes in front of me. The owner of the eyes looked at me intently, and then looked past me at the figure that was chasing me and it growled again._

_The air around me suddenly felt lighter. I took a deep breath and turned and the figure was gone. When I turned back around the eyes were no longer there. I was alone again. Left to wonder what the dark figure was and who the eyes belonged to. They had looked so familiar. But for the life of me I just couldn't seem to put a face or name to the eyes._

I woke up with a start, breathing hard with my hand instinctively placed above my heart. What the hell was up with these nightmares? They always felt so real. Like they actually had some sense of reality to them. I was about to get up to get some water when I heard a voice from the corner of my room and almost jumped through the roof.

"What the...?" I started but then stopped when I realized that I recognized that voice. I looked towards where the voice came from and about lost it. "Edward!"

"Love, where's your wedding ring?" he asked, ignoring my surprise of finding him sitting there.

"It's obliviously somewhere other than on me," I snapped before I could stop myself.

Okay now, that was harsh even for the new and improved me. But it wasn't like I didn't have the right to be like that. What the hell was he doing in my room again? This isn't two years ago when I was young and naïve and didn't realize just how creepy being watched while I slept by someone who never slept himself was.

"Bella, why are you being like this?" he asked as he got up from the rocking chair.

"Being like what?" I asked him, not entirely sure what he was talking about.

"You're not yourself," he said.

I couldn't help but take some offense to that. "Actually, yes I am. This is the new and improved independent me, Edward. Learn to accept it...please." I added the last word just to prove that a part of the old me was still around.

"Bella..." he started.

I put a hand up to stop him. "Don't," I ordered him sternly. "I mean it, Edward."

Edward didn't reply and I was happy for it.

"Why are you here?" I asked after a moment.

"I told you before, Bella, you're my wife. I came back for you," he answered easily like he had been planning to say it for a while now.

When was he going to get it?

"I don't want you to come back for me, Edward!" I exclaimed, shaking my head. "There are some things I have to do on my own and this...being here...searching for answers and missing pieces of my memory... _this_  is one of those things that I need to do on my own," I told him, hoping he'd stop being stubborn and just understand what I was saying already.

"Love..." he started.

That's it! It is like talking to a wall.

"Get out!" I yelled as loudly as I could without having to worry about waking Charlie up but loud enough to make my point to Edward.

"What?" Edward looked shocked and confused at my exclamation.

"I said get out, Edward!" I repeated, pointing to my open window. "Now!"

"But..."

"Now!" I hissed through clenched teeth. "You are not going to win this, Edward," I assured him. "Get out!"

"Win what?"

I rolled my eyes. "Go!"

About five minutes and a whole lot of back and forth later, he finally left defeated. I closed and locked the window before going to get some water and returning to bed with the hope that I would get at least some sleep without another bad nightmare reoccurrence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter; More Leah/Bella interaction. Some more imprint talk. Also, Bella sees something in Port Angeles that brings back many memories and ends up impulse buying. What could it be? And how exactly does she buy it?


	8. Chapter 7 - Making Some Things Better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything...well, except for the plot I guess.

The next morning when I woke up, as per the new normal, Leah was there. I didn't see her at first because I didn't open my eyes. But I could feel a presence there. It wasn't Edward's presence I felt, though, so I deduced that it was Leah's. Other than Edward, Leah was the only other one who usually came into my room uninvited when I was asleep.

If I wasn't used to Leah already, I'd probably be just the slightest bit uncomfortable, but that wasn't the case. We were pretty good friends now, believe it or not. Plus, even if that were not the case, I'd much rather wake up to Leah being in my room than I would my soon to be ex annoying vampire husband.

"You know, this is starting to become a common occurrence, Leah," I said as I kept my eyes closed, but gave away the fact that I was awake now.

"What is?" she asked, curiously.

"You being here when I wake up," I answered, slowly forcing myself to open my eyes.

Leah thought about it for a moment before nodding her head. "Yeah, I guess it is."

I laughed, shaking my head and rolling my eyes up towards Leah. My laughing ceased immediately when I saw the look on her face.

Leah was standing over me with her nose scrunched up, and a frown on her face. "Why in the world does it smell like a vampire in here, Swan?

My eyes widened, and I sat up in bed, looking around the room. "Oh, umm..."

"Was  _he_  here last night?" Leah asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

I nodded my head and sighed before I answered, "Yeah,  _he_  was here."

"Why the hell did you let him in here?!" she accused, jumping to conclusions.

"Hey now! I didn't!" I exclaimed defensively. "I woke up from a nightmare and he was just here."

"He let himself in?"

I shook my head yes. "Yeah, I definitely didn't invite him in like I'm sure you're thinking."

"Why was he here?" she asked curiously.

I looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. "He said he'd be back for me remember."

Leah rolled her eyes when she realized exactly what had happened last night. "He tried to talk you into leaving again," she said, shaking her head.

"Mm-hmm," I mumbled my confirmation. "But I would not take the bait, so to speak."

"You do know that I'm not going to be able to keep this from the rest of the pack or Jacob for too much longer," she said suddenly.

I gulped, swallowing the lump that had quickly formed in my throat. "Leah..."

Leah held up a hand to stop me from continuing what I was about to say. "No, you listen to me and you listen to me good, Swan," she said in her stern "don't even try me" voice. "The more the leech comes around here, the quicker my resolve lessens. You know it's my nature to hate vampires and keeping one a secret from the others..." she trailed off. "It is not exactly easy for me."

"I know."

"Well then do something about your stalker vampire husband," she hissed at me.

"He's not a stalker..." I, for whatever reason, started to defend him.

Leah lifted an eyebrow at me and gave me a look that pretty much called me insane. "Seriously? He showed up on your doorstep the other day and then last night he was there when you woke up," she said as if I wasn't actually there both times. "One word, Swan, one word...stalker."

Alright, so maybe she did have a point there.

"Alright, fine," I relented. "He's my soon to be ex-stalker husband."

Leah smiled happy with my quick surrender. "You need to tell Jacob," she said. "And soon before  _you know who_  ups his stalker antics and something bad happens."

"He would not do anything to me," I said, trying to sound convincing, but part of me wondered if maybe he would and that I was wrong.

"You sure about that?" Leah asked me, challenging what I said. "It's obvious that he's not planning on just letting you go easily."

"I think he's trying to keep me from finding something out," I admitted before I could even think it through and stop myself.

A puzzled expression took over Leah's face.. "What do you mean?" she asked, sitting down next to me on the bed.

No need to take it back now.

"I mean, he so badly wants me to return to Alaska with him and he's more persistent about it than usual. And something just tells me not to trust him like I use to. You know, woman's intuition and all that," I explained, leaving nothing out.

"You should listen to it," Leah stated simply.

"I am," I insisted assuringly. "That's why I refuse to go back with him," I told her. "I want to know what really happened. I just want my memory back already."

Leah sighed and looked at me sadly. "I couldn't even begin to imagine what you're going through," she admitted. "Even though I don't think that I'd mind too much if I could and did trade places with you...amnesia wise, I mean."

I nodded in understanding. "It's not exactly a walk in the park. I really want to get my memory back, but at the same time like I said before..." I trailed off. "I just don't want to end up hurting Jake again," I confided in her.

"I know you don't."

We sat in silence for some time before a hard hitting question that I had in my mind for a while now came front and center in my head.

"Hey, Leah, can I ask you a question?"

Leah turned her head and looked at me. "Sure, go ahead."

I took a deep breath before going for it. "So Jake mentioned that everyone thought his imprint with... _her..._ ended because I'm suppose to be his real imprint, right?"

Leah nodded.

"Okay, then...if that is the case..." I trailed off, trying to figure out how to word my question "How come he hasn't imprinted on me yet?"

Leah pondered my question for a moment before answering, "Honestly, I don't know. But if I had to make a guess..."

"What?" I urged her on.

"It's probably because you haven't let Edward go completely."

I looked at her with confusion clearly written all over my face. "What do you mean?"

"Well, most imprints that I know of have happened on unsuspecting girls who weren't in love with or dating anyone else," she explained. "It's very possible that because you're still connected with Edward that the imprint isn't able to happen." Leah paused before adding, "Or maybe what you and Jake share is stronger than an imprint could even be imagined as, so an imprint is not really necessary."

"I'd prefer the latter," I said without hesitation.

Curiously, she asked, "How come?"

"Jake's suppose to be alpha one of these days, right?"

Leah nodded.

"Judging by previous imprints wouldn't an alpha imprinting get in the way of the alpha doing his duties?" I asked, letting my own overthinking conclusions be said out loud for the first time ever.

Leah looked pleasantly surprised. "Hmm...no one ever thought of that before. How did you..."

I shrugged and cut her off, "I just think a lot that's all."

Leah laughed. "Where was this side of you back then? You could have helped immensely with certain things thinking this deep into things."

"This me was hidden behind a naive, teen-aged me," I confessed with a sigh.

Leah didn't even try to deny any of it. "Yeah, you are probably right about that one."

I shook my head. "There's no probably to it. I am right about that," I corrected her.

"Taking up for things how they are. You are definitely very different from who you were two years ago, Swan," she told me, standing up. "I can actually respect this you." She smiled.

"Thanks."

She nodded. "Alright, I should get going."

"Wait," I stopped her as she walked over to the door. "Why were you here in the first place?"

Leah thought for a moment before shrugging her shoulders. "Honestly, I don't remember." She shook her head, laughing. "It'll come to me later if it was that important."

"Okay."

Leah went to leave, but stopped before and turned back once again. "Oh, and Swan?"

"Yeah?"

"You should really use some room spray," she said with a small smirk on her face. "If Jake were to come here, he'd smell Edward all over and it wouldn't go so well."

My eyes widened and I bolted out of my bed and made a beeline for the bathroom to get some room spray. When I returned, I proceeded to spray just about half of the spray bottle's contents all over my room. I was almost like a ballerina jumping and prancing around the room, making sure every inch of the room got sprayed.

Leah was laughing the whole entire time.

"Is that better?" I asked, stopping and looking at her.

Leah laughed more, sniffing the air, and nodding her head. "As long as he doesn't come here actually looking for vampires he won't notice it."

I sighed, relieved. "Good."

Leah shook her head as she continued to laugh. "See you later, Swan."

"Yeah, you, too."

Then she was gone.

  **~MP~**

Later that afternoon, after making myself breakfast and getting ready for the day and taking care of a few other things, I decided to call Jacob and see if he was busy. Unfortunately, he was busy. He said it was something to do with the pack. Much to both of our absolute dismays, we had to rein check. I'd go over there later tonight and we'd hang out.

Realizing that I had nothing else to do, I remembered bumping into Angela a few days back. I searched for the paper with her number written on it and then called her up to see if she wanted to hang out. Luckily she had nothing to do for the day either, so we agreed to meet up in Port Angeles and go to the movies.

After the movies, we went out to eat and spent the time catching up. She told me how she was currently in college, she just came back to Forks on break to see her family. She was going to school to become a teacher. It also turned out that she and Ben were still going strong and had plans to get married once they both graduated college and got settled down in their professions. I was so very happy for her, and I made sure to tell her that.

When it was my turn to tell her about the past two years of my life, I didn't really have a reason to lie so I told her just about everything. I told her about how I was in a coma for the past two years and had no memory of anything after graduation, that part was the only thing I actually lied about. She listened and afterwards gave me her condolences and all that.

Then she mentioned something about how did Edward take the accident and me being in a coma for those two years. I sort of lied about that, too...just slightly. I told her that my coma was the downfall of our marriage and that we were in the middle of getting our marriage annulled. She once again gave me her condolences. I accepted them with the most fake thankful smile that I could muster. After all, that wasn't really how everything was happening, but I couldn't tell her everything because quite honestly not even I knew everything.

After we ate, we were heading back to my truck when out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a familiar car and froze. Angela noticed me stop mid step and stopped as well, turning back to walk over to me.

"Is everything okay?" she asked with an expression of concern on her face.

"I...I think so," I answered, my eyes not leaving the car for even a millisecond.

Angela turned to look where I was looking. "What are you looking at? That car?"

I nodded.

"Do you know the owner of it?"

"I do. "I nodded. "I mean, I know who owned it before whoever owns it now." I sighed sadly.

Angela smiled a sympathetic smile.

Just then I saw someone walk over to it.

Without a second thought, I started running. I looked both ways before I crossed the street (thank you preschool teacher) and made it across safely. I could hear Angela calling after me, but I ignored her, not stopping until I was breathing heavily standing next to the car's current owner.

"Can I help you miss?" the owner, a middle aged man, asked as he turned to look at me.

I took a few deep breaths  to get my breathing back in order. "Actually there is."

"What's that?" he asked curiously.

"What would it take for you to sell the car to me?" I asked, trying not to sound rude but seeing the car after all this time and remembering the memories that I had of it, I just couldn't get myself completely together.

The owner shook his head, and gave me a confused, sympathetic smile. "It's not for sale, miss. I'm sorry."

"Please," I pleaded, obviously not above pleading to get the car back somehow. "It was my best friends car and he sold it too you because..." I started to say, hoping that the guy would take pity on me.

The owner suddenly held up a hand to keep me from saying anything else. "You're the girl?" he asked, eyes wide.

I was taken aback by his question at first. "Sorry. Come again?"

"The boy who sold it to me mentioned a girl was the reason he was selling it," he told me. "Are you that girl?" he asked me again.

I nodded my head. "Yeah, I suppose I am."

"The boy told me a brief story when I asked why he was selling the car that he put so much time into building himself."

I smiled briefly.

Of course he did. Even to strangers, he wasn't ashamed to admit his love for me. And that's exactly what I said to the guy, too.

"The car means a lot to you, too, doesn't it?" he asked.

I nodded my head.

"I'd be willing to sell it back to you. I was thinking about selling it myself sooner or later, anyways," he admitted, looking at me. "But now I'm more than willing to sell it to you since I kind of know who you are."

I had to do everything I could not to act all crazy and hug that guy silly.

"Thank you so much!" I exclaimed, looking down at the ground when I felt the urge to.

My eyes widened when I saw the glint of my bracelet. Oh my gosh! The diamond pendant! If it was possible, I was even more happy now than I had been a second ago. "Here! How about this?" I asked, lifting my arm up to show him the pendant. "It's a real and very expensive diamond! You can pawn it or sell it or something for whatever it's worth."

He looked it over and then nodded his head. "I think that we have a deal."

"Oh, that's great!" I exclaimed, actually jumping up and down and clapping my hands like a little kid now, not caring what anybody thought of me. "Alright, so I'll just give you my number and vice versa. When I'm ready for it, I'll be in touch and we can exchange the car for the diamond," I offered once I got myself together again.

The guy smiled at me. "That sounds like a plan."

"Thank you so much," I said, smiling at him once again.

"You're welcome," he replied. "And good luck."

At first, I didn't get what he meant by that, but once I did I nodded my head and smiled even brighter. "Oh, thank you!"

After exchanging names and numbers, we parted ways.

"What was that all about?" Angela asked, looking at me curiously as we made our way back across the street.

"I am fixing everything that I messed up," I told her with a wide grin.

Everything was slowly taking a turn for the better.

 

**~MP~**

After hanging out with Angela in Port Angeles for a little while longer after making a deal to buy the Rabbit back, I had the sudden urge to go see Jacob earlier than he was expecting me. So after dropping Angela off at home, I drove to La Push. Just as I was pulling up to Jacob's house, my breath immediately caught in my throat. I saw a beautiful girl walking out of the house. Of course I instantly thought the worst. But then I doubled back and realized I should find out who she was before I jumped to conclusions.

I parked my truck, turned it off, and got out.

"Hi." I smiled at the girl as she was about to walk by me to get to her own car.

"Hello," she replied with a smile that probably matched my own.

"Who are you?" I asked, skipping straight to what I really wanted to know.

The girl smiled more so than before and she answered, "I'm Elena."

And just like that I felt my heart drop right back down into my stomach where it had went when I first found out about Elena. But this was different. I was not just hearing about Elena. I was actually seeing her. I was standing right in front of Jacob's ex-imprint.

Oh my god!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun, dun, dun! Well you knew it was coming eventually. But you probably didn't expect it so soon though. So is Elena gonna be mean or nice? Take your guess and find out if you're right next chapter. Who knows, maybe you will be surprised.
> 
> Next chapter; Bella and Elena have a talk about Jacob. Afterwards, Bella learns of what Jacob went though during the time she was gone. And where does Elena fit into everything? Well, you know, other than her being Jacob's ex-imprint.


	9. Chapter 8 - Filling in the Blanks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything...well, except for the plot I guess. Oh, and Elena, of course.

I couldn't even begin to believe my eyes or ears. Was this really happening? What the hell was Elena doing leaving Jake's house? Didn't Jake say that they weren't imprinted or together anymore? I'm pretty sure he did. So why exactly was she here then? So many questions ran through my mind, but no answers were given. I simply just could not believe it.

"And you are?" Elena asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

When I finally found my voice again, I answered, "Oh, umm...I'm Bella."

Elena raised an eyebrow, a look of surprise taking over her face. "You're Bella?" she asked, looking at me with a curious expression.

What the hell did she mean by that?

No, no. Be nice Bella. She didn't say that in a bad way. She just simply asked who you are. She is only just curious about you. Probably just as curious about you as you are about why she's here.

Pushing my slight "want to be a bitch" attitude aside, I nodded my head and smiled briefly at her. "Yes, I am."

Elena smiled back. "It's really nice to finally meet you," she said in a cheerful tone of voice.

She was?

"I have heard quite a bit about you," she told me.

She has?

I swallowed the sudden nervous lump in my throat. "You are? You have?" I asked, surprised and shocked that I was actually talked about to her.

She nodded. "Jacob talked and still talks about you a lot."

He did? He does? Well that is quite a welcome surprise.

Elena lifted her arm and looked at her watch. "Jacob said something about you not being expected for another hour or two?"

I shook my head yes as I was unable to think of something to say.

"Do you maybe want go get a cup of coffee with me?" she offered.

"Umm...I..."

"We could talk and get on the same page," she suggested.

I thought about it for a moment before giving in. "Okay. That...that sounds good."

I could use this time to hopefully learn more about her and Jacob's past relationship.

Elena offered a sweet smile in my direction. "Alright, you can follow me. We can go to the diner in Forks."

I nodded my head, smiling back at her. "Alright, sounds good."

 

**~MP~**

About half an hour later, Elena and I were sitting across from each other, drinking coffee and getting to know each other. As it turns out, I really had nothing to worry about. Elena wasn't a threat to me by any means. I had just jumped the gun as I usually do and assumed wrong about her at first. Elena was truly a very sweet girl. I really needed to get over my over-thinking and assuming flaw.

From what I gathered through everything she was telling me about her and Jacob, they were both on the same page about just being friends now that the imprint was broken. Apparently, they had started off as friends to begin with. Therefore, returning to being just friends wasn't as hard for them as one would think it might have been.

Elena told me that they had known each other for just about two years now, which was interesting. It made me wonder seeing as if the years they'd known each other was just about the same amount of years that I had been gone. Just how long exactly had it been from the time I pretty much disappeared off of the planet to the time that they first met? I would definitely be keeping that question in mind for very possible later use. 'Cause I really did want to know.

Elena also told me that when Jacob first imprinted on her, that he wouldn't tell her. He'd just come into the restaurant she worked at everyday and would sit at the same table and watch her. She said that in most cases where a guy did that, it would've freaked her out, but oddly it didn't. That was what first clued her in on something having been different.

It went on for about a week before Elena had finally said screw it and confronted him. She demanded that he tell her why he was always watching her everyday like she was his prey or something. Jake being Jake, when confronted, did just that. Elena admitted that at first she was shocked beyond belief, but she came around to the reality soon enough and accepted everything for what it was.

The two of them became inseparable after that. They started off as friends for about a year before finally taking the next step and deciding to actually date. They dated for about the next year. But towards the end of their relationship they both realized that things were starting to change. Apparently, the closer I got to waking up the more the effects of their imprint started to lessen. Then one day, just like that, it was gone. That one day being the day I finally woke up.

After talking to The Council and having it confirmed that the imprint had in fact been broken, Jacob and Elena stayed together for a few days. But they quickly realized that it just wasn't the same. So the day before I arrived they called it quits and agreed to go back to being friends. As it turns out, according to Elena, they actually made better friends than something more. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't wanting to jump up on the table and do a happy dance now that I knew pretty much everything and realized that I had nothing at all to worry about.

Afterwards, the talk took a turn for the...I would not say worse, but the mood definitely changed.

"Whatever you do, don't hurt him again," Elena said a few minutes after ending her explanation.

I had to do a double take. Was I hearing things?

"I'm sorry. What?"

Elena looked at me with a sad expression and sighed. "You don't know how much you hurt him," she said in a questioning tone of voice. "Do you?"

Good question.

I shook my head. "No. Well, sort of. No, not really. I don't," I said, not being able to figure out if I actually did or didn't. "I mean, I know I hurt him but not how bad," I spoke quietly. "I don't really remember things after a certain point."

Elena raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"It's just..." I trailed off.

Should I actually tell her? Well, she did tell me everything about her and Jacob without a second thought. So I guess I could return the favor. After all, she was a really sweet and caring person from what I could tell. Also, if Jacob and everyone else seemed to think good about her, then I could and would as well.

"There was an accident a few years back and my memory is hazy," I told her.

She was silent for a moment before speaking again, "If you don not mind my asking, how hazy?"

"It's fine." I sighed and changed the truth around just a little bit.

I had a strong feeling that although Elena was aware of shape-shifters and vampires, she probably wasn't informed about everything that Jacob knew.

"I do not remember much after graduation," I lied.

Elena looked puzzled for a quick moment. "So you don't remember your wedding then?" she asked curiously. "Or what happened with you and Jacob at your wedding?"

Now that definitely threw me for a loop.

My eyes immediately widened and I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat that had come out of nowhere. "No, I..." I paused. "He was there?"

Elena's expression suddenly matched my own expression. "I shouldn't..." she stopped herself. "You should ask Jacob about it when you go see him," she said quickly. "I should not say any thing else. It is not exactly my place to say."

"But..." I started to protest.

She shook her head quickly. "Just talk to him," she told me. "And please don't hurt him again." Elena was practically pleading with the sound of her voice and the look in her eyes. "We may not be together anymore or imprinted..." she paused, seeming to think of her words wisely. "But he's still my friend and I still love him."

My heart pounded in my chest at that last part.

"I just don't want to see him get hurt again," she said sadly. "He really doesn't deserve to be hurt like that again."

I could've sworn I could feel tears start to well up in my eyes.

Just the sound of her voice as she said that...I could hear the sincerity and pain in her voice.

"I won't," I assured her. "I don't want to hurt him again either."

Elena smiled briefly. "I know you don't."

"You do?"

She nodded her head.

"How?"

"I can see it in your eyes."

"Oh."

A moment of silence followed.

"Just talk to him," Elena said, breaking it. "I'm sure he'll tell you his side of the story if you ask him."

**~MP~**

I ended up arriving at Jacob's half an hour late. Elena and I had sat and talked for a little while longer until she got a call and had to leave. I realized then that I had to leave, too. I'm sure Jacob was worried. When I checked my phone, I saw that I had two missed calls from him. I had not even heard my phone ring. I was definitely sure that Jacob would be worried now.

And I was right.

The second that I turned off the truck, the door flew open.

"Where have you been?" Jacob asked with concern clear in his tone of voice.

I was pulled out of the truck and wrapped up into a special Jacob hug. For a moment, the air was practically knocked out of me. I pushed at his shoulders and he got the memo.

"Oh, sorry," he said, putting me down.

"It's fine," I replied, slamming the truck door closed.

"So where have you been?" he asked again.

"I was at the diner drinking coffee," I answered honestly.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Drinking coffee?"

I nodded my head. "With Elena," I said quickly.

Jacob suddenly looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Elena?"

"Yeah," I said, shaking my head.

He was silent for a minute or two before asking, "And how'd it go?"

I smiled. "It was good," I answered. "She's a really nice girl."

Jacob smiled and nodded his head in agreement.

"So what did you two talk about?" he asked curiously.

I shrugged my shoulders as I followed him into the house.

"Nothing much," I answered. "Well except that she told me the story of you two meeting, being friends, dating, and being friends again," I corrected myself. "And then she told me to ask you something?"

"Ask me what?"

"About everything," I said, sitting down on the couch. "About you being there at my wedding. And about how I ended up hurting you."

Jacob sat down on the other side of the couch as far away from me as he could.

I frowned.

"Jacob?" I questioned. "What is it?"

God, the silence was killing me!

"Jake..."

"Elena saved me from myself," he finally spoke.

I swallowed hard. "How?"

Jacob leaned back against the couch with his head against the wall and his eyes closed before he answered me.

"I had stopped phasing for a while after you left," he told me. "I was just over everything supernatural in general. I just wanted to be as far away from it as possible."

"Then how did you imprint on Elena?" I asked, confused. "I mean, if you weren't phasing anymore, then imprinting wouldn't even be possible or necessary anymore, right?"

He nodded. "Sounds about right," he confirmed. "I didn't imprint until I came across vampires and unintentionally phased. I was nearby where Elena worked at the time. After I killed the vampires, when I phased back to my human self and saw her leaving the restaurant, I imprinted."

"Wait, you said vampires? As in plural?"

"Yeah. Two."

"And you took them on by yourself?" I asked, shocked.

He nodded his head.

"But how?! And you lived?!"

He shrugged. "I just channeled all of my pent up anger and apparently it was enough."

My eyes were wide. "Wow."

"Anger is great motivation."

"Yeah, apparently so," I said in disbelief, leading us into a few minutes of silence. "So is imprinting on Elena why you came back?" I asked after a while.

Jacob nodded. "After I told her about the imprint and all about what I was and bits and pieces of why I left home in the first place..." he paused. "She convinced me that I needed to come home."

"How did she manage that?" I wondered out loud.

"She made me realize that running away wasn't going to help solve anything," he told me. "If anything it was only going to make things worse."

"And did it?"

Jacob chuckled darkly. "Kind of."

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Well for starters, when I first got back I practically had to jump through hoops to get the pack to forgive me for just up and leaving without saying a word."

I cringed. "Sorry."

Jacob opened his eyes, and turned his head to look at me. "What are you sorry for?"

I sighed. "You left because of me. If I..."

He quickly cut me off. "Stop right there, Bella," he ordered. "It's not your fault. I left on my own. It was my choice. No matter what happened, I could have stayed. But I chose not to."

I opened my mouth to protest against him. "But..."

Jacob shook his head and leaned forward. "But nothing," he said. "Stop blaming yourself for everything that went wrong," he paused. "Besides, how were you even suppose to know? You didn't return to the land of the living until about a week ago," he said in a joking tone.

I couldn't help but crack a small smile. "True," I sighed. "I just wish I knew the truth."

Jacob moved closer to me now and wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into his side. "It will all come to you soon enough," he said, doing his best to assure me. "It always does."

"I sure hope so," I said, resting my head comfortably on his shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter; Not only does Bella have to get through another nightmare, but Edward is still being a stalker and Bella has no choice but to tell Jacob the truth when he catches Edward leaving Bella's room at night.


	10. Chapter 9 - Closer to the Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of now, the rest of the story has been planned out. The story will be 12 chapters long. Hopefully, it doesn't seem rushed. It might since, for the most part, it's straight to the point with nothing that's not important in between. I just don't want to bore you all with things that aren't actually important to the plot. But, it will all come together in the end and no story line will be left unsolved. I promise you!

A few nights later, after I spent the whole day in La Push with the pack and the imprints, I drove home exhausted. All I wanted was a shower and to go to sleep. And, that's exactly what I did. The moment my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light.

But, my sleep was all but pleasant.

_It was dead silent. Not even the chirping of a single cricket could be heard._

_I was turning in slow circles trying to get a good[view](http://trickyraven.ning.com/group/ff-missing-pieces/forum/topics/chapter-9-closer-to-the-truth) of where I was. I quickly came to the realization that I was in a wooded area. Well, a clearing surrounded by wood's, to be exact. S_ _trangely enough the clearing that I was standing in looked a lot like Edward and I's old meadow. Weird. Why would I be in our meadow? It made no sense._ _But, I couldn't really wonder about that right now._

_I was more concerned about the totally dead, creepy silence that was currently surrounding me. I felt like I was in a horror[movie](http://trickyraven.ning.com/group/ff-missing-pieces/forum/topics/chapter-9-closer-to-the-truth) scene. The horror movie scene where a girl is in the wrong place at the wrong time and was about to be killed. Therefore, I was just waiting for someone or something to jump out of the trees. 'Cause I just knew that I wasn't alone. That would be too good to be true. Well, that, and plus, I wasn't that lucky._

_As if on[cue](http://trickyraven.ning.com/group/ff-missing-pieces/forum/topics/chapter-9-closer-to-the-truth), I heard a noise behind me._

_Ever so slowly, I walked forward and turned at the same time. That way I'd be farther away, but at the same time I could see whatever it was behind me._

_I gasped when I saw that there were two sets of eyes staring at me through the pitch black of night._

_One set of eyes was a dark, evil looking red. They were almost like a reddish orange...like lava._

_The other set of eyes were a familiar set of black-brown eyes. They looked a lot like..._

_Before I could even blink, the owner of the red eyes launched itself at me. I barely had time to scream before the other one launched itself at the red eyed thing, or whatever it was._

_The two things fought each other and all I could do is watch, frozen in place._

_Then, it happened the red eyed thing, whatever it was, got the upper hand somehow and bit into the other figure, which let out a deafening cry._

_I suddenly felt the need to do something. I didn't know what or why, but I did._

_However, before I could I felt myself drifting away._

The next thing I knew, I was sitting up in bed, panting.

What the hell? Why did I wake up? I was almost positive that the nightmare wasn't over yet, and that I wasn't suppose to have woken up yet. But, then why did I?

I looked around my room to see what could have woken me up. It didn't take me long to find the reason I woke up so soon.

"What the hell are you doing here, Edward?" I asked quietly, as to not wake up Charlie, already very much annoyed at him for waking me up from the nightmare that could have possibly revealed a lot to me.

"You sounded like you were having a nightmare," he answered calmly, standing up from the rocking chair and making his way over to me. "I just wanted to come check on you."

I narrowed my eyes at him as I kicked the covers off of me and got out of bed. I stood up and crossed my arms over my chest.

He walked closer to me, and stopped once he was standing in front of me.

"Or you came in to wake me up because you know something that you're not telling me," I accused him. "I mean, why else would you be sticking around and always showing up when I'm in the middle of a nightmare?"

He gave me an innocent smile. "I'm just concerned for you, love," he said, ignoring my accusation all together.

It made me wonder when I realized that he didn't even try to deny it. Instead, he just jumped at changing the subject in his favor.

"You're my wife," he smiled. "That's what husband's do. They comfort their wives in their time of need."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "Are you serious?" I asked outraged, trying to keep my voice down. "You are seriously starting to piss me off."

"Love, please," he sighed, unnecessarily. "Don't turn this into something that it isn't."

"Oh, here we go!" I exclaimed, shaking my head. "Let's hear it," I told him. "I'm crazy. I'm making everything into something more than what it really is. I'm over-thinking it all."

He just stood there watching me with a look that said, "Yes, you are truly crazy."

"Anything else that you'd like to add?" I asked him, now full blown angry.

Oh, the creative ways I was thinking of setting him on fire right now. Asshole!

He shook his head at me and said my name in an exasperated tone of voice. "It's times like these when I wish more than anything that I could read your mind," he said. "It'd make it so much easier to understand you when you're like this."

Oh, is that so. Yeah, sure, let's see about that.

Concentrating as hard as I could, I tried to see if I could lift my shield.

Apparently, I could.

Edward gasped, and looked at me wide-eyed. "How? Why?"

"Because I let you," I told him, putting my shield back up.

"Bella..."

With a smirk, I said, "I told you, you wouldn't like what I was thinking."

"Why would you think such horrible things?!" he asked, shocked.

"Because you're annoying me to that point," I deadpanned. "Now get out!" I hissed at him. "Oh, yeah, and also..." I trailed off, trying to figure out how to put what I wanted to say next. "Do respect my wishes from now on and  _ **Do. Not. Come. Back. In. Without. An.**_ **Invitation,** " I told him, sternly, placing emphasis on each of the words.

Edward opened his mouth to say something else, but didn't get the chance to.

Before, even I could cut Edward off, someone else beat me to it.

"She said get out, leech!" a very familiar voice growled.

Edward and I both quickly turned towards my window to see Jacob standing there.

"Jake!" I practically exclaimed, running over to him without hesitation.

I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his chest.

The second, he wrapped one of his arms around my waist, I heard Edward growl.

But, I couldn't have cared less.

I pretty much tuned out the next minute or so as I basked in the heat that radiated off of Jacob.

When I finally came back to reality, it was just me and Jacob there. I don't know when Edward left. But, again, I couldn't have cared less. I was just happy he was gone, and that I didn't have to fuss with him any longer. It was truly the most annoying thing that I had to do in a very long time.

"What are you doing here?" I asked pulling away and taking a step back away from him.

"I overheard Charlie telling my dad earlier that you were having nightmares recently," he answered. "I came to check on you."

I smiled at him. "Aw, you are so sweet."

The difference between Edward and Jacob saying the same words...I could actually hear the sincerity in Jacob's voice. Something that I didn't hear in Edward's.

Jacob smiled back for a moment before turning the subject to Edward.

"Why was he here?" he asked looking at me with the most serious expression I think I had ever seen on his face.

I sighed. "He's been here before," I admitted, deciding that now was probably a good time to tell Jacob about Edward's recent stalker tendencies.

Jacob's eyes went wide and I could see him start to shake as his hands clenched into fists at his side. "What?"

"He's been sort of..." I trailed off as I turned and walked back over to my bed, sitting down. "...stalking me ever since I got back.

"Since you got back?"

I nodded my head.

"The day you got back."

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because..." I trailed off again.

Before either Jacob or I could say anything else, I heard Leah snicker from outside my window.

"Told you to tell him sooner!"

I quickly stood up and marched over to the window. "So not helping," I glared at her.

Leah shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

Jacob walked over to the window and frowned down at her. "You knew?!"

"Haha!" I just couldn't refrain.

"Hey! This is between you two," she said raising her hands up in surrender.

"You knew?!" Jacob repeated.

"Yeah, but..." Leah started, but didn't get the chance to finish.

Jacob quickly cut her off. "Why didn't you say something?"

"It wasn't my place to tell," she answered quickly before turning and disappearing into the woods.

"Plus, I asked her not to say anything to you," I said, once again retreating back to bed.

Jacob turned back to me. "Why not?"

"Because..."

He cut me off. "You know we would've made him leave town!"

"See!" I exclaimed. "That right there, Jake," I told him. "That is why I was hesitant about telling you."

"What is?"

"You want him gone," I answered. "And, I don't!"

The second those three words left my mouth, Jacob glared at me. "Why not?" he asked, angrily, and I knew why.

"It's not what you think," I quickly assured him.

"Then, what is it?"

"He knows something, okay!" I told him. "He's hiding something from me and lying to my face about it! And, when I find out exactly what it is that he's keeping from me, I want him around so that I can confront him about it!"

There. All of it is out in the open now.

"He owes me the truth," I finished off with.

A short silence fell between us.

Jacob sighed and walked over to sit down next to me. "You could have just told me this from the get go," he said, looking at me. "I would have listened."

I raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

"Okay, well, it would've taken some convincing," he chuckled. "But, I would have sooner or later."

"I know," I whispered. "But, I didn't."

"And, why didn't you?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I honestly don't know." And, really I didn't. "Can we just talk about this more later?" I asked. "I'm really tired and just want to sleep."

Jacob nodded his head in understanding. "Okay."

"Can you stay for the rest of the night?" I asked him as I situated myself under the covers.

Jacob smiled at me and laid down next to me. "Of course."

"Thank you for staying, Jake," I smiled, snuggling into his side.

Jacob kissed me on the top of my head. "Anytime, Bells."

I fell back to sleep easily and I'm not sure if I was more happy or let down by the fact that the nightmare didn't return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter; A few weeks time jump...Bella's nightmare's come to an end as a final nightmare reveals the truth.


	11. Chapter 10 - Nightmares of Truth and Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter's nightmare's aka the truth and memory reveals were a lot of fun to write. Emotional, but fun to write. I hope you all enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them!
> 
> Also, quick note...there's a possibility that you may need tissues...so, do yourself a favor and keep tissues in handy for this chapter.

After that [night](http://trickyraven.ning.com/group/ff-missing-pieces/forum/topics/chapter-10-nightmares-of-truth-and-memories?xg_source=activity), for a few weeks, I didn't see or hear from Edward again. I had Jacob and the pack to thank for that. Once I finally told Jacob about Edward stalking me ever since I returned to Forks, the pack had been taking turns patrolling to make sure Edward stayed away from my room at night.

As for the nightmares, I hadn't had another one of those during those few weeks either. I had Jacob to thank for no nightmares. Every night after Charlie went to bed Jacob would sneak in and stay with me. For whatever reason, as long as I could feel the heat radiating off of his body at night, the nightmares stayed away, which is why I was hesitant about going to bed tonight.

For the first night in weeks, I was sleeping alone. Jacob had to fill in patrolling for Paul who had some sort of emergency or whatever and he couldn't get out of it. So, therefore, I was sleeping alone tonight. There would be no sense of comfort for me this time. Due to that fact, I was afraid that the nightmares would return. Knowing my luck, they actually would, too.

Reluctantly, I went about my normal bed time routine, and finally settled down in bed. Alone. Something that I was not at all happy about. I just knew that the nightmares would return, and after many nights without them...well, I really wasn't looking forward to them being back again. Hopefully, soon the nightmares would reveal something useful to me. That way I'd no longer have to have them.

"I won't be that far away, Bells," Jacob assured me when he came up to tell me goodnight. "I'll just be right outside."

"I know," I sighed.

"Just call for me if you need me," he said, leaning forward to kiss me on my forehead.

I nodded as I wrapped my arms around his neck to keep him from leaving just yet.

He chuckled. "Bells, seriously?"

"I don't want you to go," I whined. "I won't be able to sleep well."

Jacob sighed, and pried my arms from around his neck. "You'll be fine, Bells. I promise."

"Yeah, sure," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

Jacob shook his head, and muttered, "So, stubborn."

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "I heard that!"

He laughed as he turned and walked over to the window. "As if you weren't already aware of that fact."

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Whatever."

"Night, Bells," Jacob said before jumping out the window.

I could have sworn that I also heard him say, "Love you."

But, I couldn't be too sure.

Although, the fact that I already knew he loved me did make me think that he really did say it.

**~MP~**

_I don't know how long I was asleep for before I woke up. I sat up in bed and looked around. Something felt very strange. I was in my room, thought, so that wasn't strange. But, I still had the sense that something wasn't right about this picture. I could have sworn that I hadn't been asleep that long. Yet, when I looked towards the window it was showing that it was light outside._

_What was going on here?_

_Suddenly, my attention was caught by the sound of muffled voices coming from outside the door. It sounded like two people were arguing. Now that was definitely strange. Only Charlie and I lived here, so why would two people be arguing outside my bedroom door? And, I was sure that the voice's I was hearing belonged to both a guy and a girl and a guy. I wasn't aware of any woman that Charlie knew that would actually be here arguing with him._

_Dazed and confused, I got out of bed and made my way over to the door. I put my ear up to the door to see if I could hear better. And, hear better, I did. I got the shock of a lifetime when I realized that the voices I was hearing were the voices of Edward and me._

_What the hell?_

_I could hear my own voice screaming, but my mouth wasn't moving, so I knew that it definitely wasn't actually me right now, if that made any sense. Curiously, I stepped back and opened the door. When I saw what was on the other side of the door, I was shocked beyond belief._

_There in front of me on the other side of the door was me and Edward. And, it wasn't the hallway at my house that we were in. It was Edward's bedroom at the Cullen's old mansion._

__It was right then, in that very moment, that I realized that u_ nlike my previous nightmare's, this one was different. Instead of living the nightmare as myself, I was actually witnessing the nightmare as a bystander to what I was seeing._

_In order to get the answers that I so badly craved, all I could do was stand back and watch in awe, shock, and disgust as the truth actually played out for me right in front of very own wide eyes._

_"Let me go, Edward!" the nightmare version of me exclaimed, trying to yank her arm from Edward's grip. "I need to go see Jacob!"_

_"You're my wife now, Bella," Edward hissed through clenched teeth. "You chose me!" he reminded me...her. "I will not let you go see that mutt."_

_I had never before heard him talk in such a way._

_I gasped at what she...I said next._

_"I love him! I'm in love with him!" she cried out. "I'm sorry, it took me this long to realize it, but it did. And, you should just be happy and accept it! Like you said you would in the tent!" she exclaimed. "Yeah, that's right! I wasn't exactly asleep yet when you and Jacob had that conversation about if I chose him."_

_I could feel tears start to well up in my eyes as the truth of the words she had just said sunk in._

_"I have to see him! I **will**  see him one way or another. And, you can't stop me!"_

_The nightmare version of me finally managed to get out of Edward's grasp, turned and ran out the room._

_Edward was very close behind her._

_I, myself, turned and ran after them so that I could see what happened next._

_I watched as the nightmare version of me ran to the stairs with Edward right on her heels. The second Edward caught up with her, he grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. She gasped and I couldn't figure out why._

_That is until I managed to get a good view of his face. I, also, gasped._ __It was such a shock when I saw the color of his eyes._ __They were blood red._ _ _ _I couldn't believe it. Everything made sense now._ _The red eyes belonged to him. **He**  was the one that I was running scared from in my previous nightmares._

_But, why?_

_The answer came to me in an instant as I reminded myself of all those times he made my decisions for me. All those times, he chose when and where I could go. All of those times, when he acted as if he owned me. It all clicked into place, then._

_The look in his eyes wasn't the look of the Edward she...I had come to know and love. They were the eyes of the true Edward. The vampire Edward. The vampire Edward that was obsessed with her...me and intended on controlling her...me for the rest of eternity._

_The nightmare version of me screamed for help, but nobody was there to help her. It was, unfortunately, just her and the real Edward. She yanked her arm back to get away from Edward and in the process lost her footing on the top stair and started falling back._

_I watched as she reached forward to try and grab onto Edward to steady herself back up. But, in a move that was capable of shocking me to death, he let go of her arm and stepped back. Oh, god! He just watched her...me fall and did nothing to try and help me._

_The other Bella screamed again as she fell backwards and tumbled down the stairs._

_All I could do was watch in shock and tears as the other, past me...I...fell down the stairs and landed on the bottom step, hitting her, my head hard against the wall._

_Then, as if I wasn't already shocked enough, I heard Edward say, "If I can't have you, then no one can. Certainly not that mutt!"_

_I was in tears as I heard her...me tearfully plead, quietly, "Jacob. My Jacob."_

_And, then it was completely silent._

_Almost as soon as the other me passed out, Edward turned and looked at me._

_Everything fell into place now. My nightmare's were trying to tell me all along that Edward was the one to blame. **He** was the reason for everything. My coma...my memory loss...it was all because of him. It was such a bitter pill to swallow. And, it was all because I changed my mind and chose Jacob in the end._

_In an instant, nightmare Edward launched himself in my direction and everything went black._

**~MP~**

_When I woke up, I was outside a very familiar bedroom door._

_Jacob's bedroom door._

_I could hear quiet voices on the other side._

_Twisting the knob, I opened the door._

_I couldn't help but gasp when I saw myself kneeling on the floor next to Jacob's bed where he laid all bandaged up._

_In an instant, everything that happened and was said in this moment came flooding back into my mind._

_I was in tears by the time I remembered everything._

_I was so wrong in telling him that my love for him wasn't enough. I was so very wrong. 'Cause it was enough. It was more than enough._

_The next thing I knew, again, everything went black._

**~MP~**

_The next time I woke up, I was laying on the grass. Grass? What the hell was I doing laying on the grass?_

_Slowly, I stood up and took in my surroundings. They were extremely familiar. It took me a moment to pin point where I was, but I finally did. I was now standing outside of the Cullen's mansion near where Edward and I got married._

_Then, I heard voices. Immediately, I ran towards where the voices were coming from._

_I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw me and Jacob, alone, dancing and laughing._

_The memory of what happened next was suddenly front and center in my mind._

_"Please, Bella," Jacob pleaded. "It's still not too late to change your mind."_

_"Jake, please," the past me pleaded right back. "Don't make this harder on us than it already is."_

_"It doesn't have to be hard on either of us at all, Bella," Jacob said._

_The past me shook her head. "I'm sorry, Jacob," she apologized. "But, it's too late. I chose Edward," she whispered before turning away from him._

_"Wait!" Jacob called after her. "We can run away together!"_

_I had the same reaction the past me did._

_My eyes were wide and I was frozen in place._

_"What?" the past me asked, turning around, looking at him with wide eyes._

_"You once said that you wanted to go explore the world one day. You asked me if I'd go with you when you did," he said. "We can still do that. I may have pack obligations and I may not have much money, but I would still drop everything and make it work..." he trailed off. "For you."_

_"You remember," the past me whispered. "But, we were just kids, then."_

_"I loved you even, then, Bells," Jacob admitted. "And, there's nothing about you that I haven't remembered. Even from when we were kids."_

_"Oh, Jacob."_

_"Please, Bells. Please," Jacob pleaded. "Don't do this. You can still change your mind."_

_I, along with the past me, was crying._

_"I'm so sorry, Jake," the past me cried, and I wanted to punch her dead in her face for being so stupid._

_How could she...how could I have done that to him?_

_I should have said yes._

_But, I didn't._

_Oh, god._

_I was such an awful person._

_With that thought in mind, I was again overcome by darkness._

**~MP~**

I woke up immediately with a start, and fresh tears pouring down my face.

Oh, god. I knew the truth now. I wasn't sure if I was relieved or unhappy about that fact. The whole time I wanted to know what had happened, but now that I did...I wasn't so sure I wanted to know anymore.

And, all of the memories. Oh, god. The memories.

My memories had finally come back.

All that was missing now...was Jacob.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter; Bella's memory has come back and all she wants is Jacob. Revelations are made. More truths are revealed. Oh, and, how about...confrontation and a marriage is finally ended!


	12. Chapter 11 - Resolving Problems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so now we're down to the chapter before the final one. *sigh*
> 
> Quick note...please don't hate me for how I write Bella this chapter...Fingers crossed that you'll all understand where I'm coming from. *runs and hides in a far away corner* just in case.

The second I got myself together, I was out of bed and at the window in an instant.

"Jake!" I called out frantically. "Jacob!"

It was only moments before he came running out of the woods.

"What? What's wrong?" he asked, looking up at me.

"Just come up here," I told him. "Please."

"Alright, move out of the way."

I nodded my head, turned, and walked away from the window.

When I turned back around, he was already standing there. Seeing him standing there paired with all of the memories that had now returned caused the tears I was holding back to force themselves out.

In less than two seconds, I was breaking down completely.

Without a word, I launched myself at him.

He caught me easily and I curled up against him, wrapping my legs around his waist.

I could feel the motion of him walking and the next thing I knew he was sitting on the bed with me straddling him. If the circumstances had been different, then I would've probably had a different out look on our current position. But, the circumstances weren't better or different, so the double meaning of our position was quickly thrown into the back of my mind somewhere.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Jacob asked, the worry in his tone very evident.

It took me some time to calm down, but as soon as I could manage to speak, I answered, "My memories...I...I got them back."

Jacob was silent for a while before finally replying, "How?"

"Through my nightmares," I answered quietly.

It only took another [couple](http://trickyraven.ning.com/group/ff-missing-pieces/forum/topics/chapter-11?xg_source=activity) of seconds for me to start crying again as I replayed the memories that had returned in my mind.

"H...how could you p...possibly love me..." I had to pause for a moment before I could [continue](http://trickyraven.ning.com/group/ff-missing-pieces/forum/topics/chapter-11?xg_source=activity). "...after every...everything that I put you th...through?"

"Because..." he trailed off, and I could swear his voice was breaking as well. "You always hurt the people closest to you."

Well, yeah, there was no denying that.

"Or better yet when you love someone as much as I love you..."

Yep, his voice was definitely breaking, too.

"I guess I was just glutton for punishment," he said sadly. "Despite everything that you put me through, though, I kept coming back for more because deep down I knew..." he paused and corrected himself. "No, I know...I know that you love me back."

And, here's the opening that I was waiting for.

Slowly, I pulled back to look at him.

Sure enough, I could see tears in his eyes that confirmed that his voice had in fact been breaking, too.

I took a deep breath before telling him, "It was Edward."

"What?"

"He did it," I said quietly.

"He did what?"

"He's why I had amnesia," I admitted.

I could feel Jacob [start](http://trickyraven.ning.com/group/ff-missing-pieces/forum/topics/chapter-11?xg_source=activity) to shake slightly under me, and for whatever reason, whether it was because I was out of my mind or something, I wrapped my arms around his neck. Not that that would stop him from phasing or anything if it came down to it. I just didn't want to lose him, and I guess I was afraid that I might if he phased and had to leave.

"He caused the accident?" Jacob asked, shaking underneath me.

Not exactly.

I shook my head. "No, no..." I paused.

Okay. Here goes nothing.

Please don't phase! Please don't phase!

"He  **was** the real accident," I whispered, looking away from him, afraid of what expression I'd find on his face.

Suddenly, he was shaking more violently underneath me.

Oh, shit! He's gonna phase! Oh, god! Not good. I can't let this happen.

Thanks to a split-second decision, I leaned forward and kissed him.

Oh, please, let this work. Maybe I could shock the phase right out of him? It's worth a try.

Surprisingly, I was the one who ended up the most shocked when it actually worked. Maybe, I just have a magic kiss or something? Yeah, right. Keep dreaming, Bella.

After we pulled away, we just sat there staring at each for a while.

It wasn't until Jacob broke the silence that our moment was ruined.

"How was he the real accident?"

With a death grip on him as well as a deep breath, I explained to him all about my nightmares from the times before leading up to tonight's nightmares. I told him about what I witnessed and then how I got my memories back.

By time I finished explaining, Jacob was speechless. It took him a few minutes to process everything I had told him. I think it was partially because he wasn't sure that what had happened was actually possible or not. But, in the end, he ended up believing me because really there is just no way that someone can honestly make something like that up.

"Why did he do it?" Jacob finally asked, which in a way brought the conversation full circle.

"Because, I changed my mind. And..." I started to say as I looked him in the eye. "I chose you."

And, with those three words everything finally made complete sense.

It  _ **was Jacob.**_

It had always  _ **been Jacob.**_

It would always  _ **be Jacob**._

Jacob took me by surprise with his reaction to that.

"I'll kill him!" he growled.

What? Wait...did he really just skip over the good and pinpoint the bad?

Yeah, I definitely hadn't been expecting that to happen.

"No! No, you won't!" I told him, frowning.

"What? Why not? He tried to kill you!"

"Yes, he did try to kill me!" I agreed. "Well, sort of."

Right? I mean, it's not like he actually pushed me down the stairs. I tripped...trying to get away from him. But, then again he didn't try to save me. So, I guess, he might as well have.

Jacob looked at me like I was crazy, and at this point, I'd probably have to agree with him.

"I'm not trying to say he deserves to get away scot-free with what he did because he doesn't..."

"Why don't you want me to kill him, then?"

I sighed. "You know why."

"No, I don't," he said. "Why?"

Alright, truth time, whether it makes me sound stupid or not.

"Because, if you kill him, it will hurt me," I confessed.

"You can't be serious?!"

Jacob shook his head in disbelief and stood up, turning and dropping me onto the bed.

Great. Now he was mad. And, not at Edward. But, at me.

"Just because he did what he did it won't just magically make me not love him anymore," I tried to reason with him. "Despite what he did, it will still hurt me to see and know that you killed him."

"Bella..." he started to protest.

I cut him off. "No, Jake!" I exclaimed. "Just listen to me, okay. Please."

Jacob sighed and although he still wasn't completely okay with what was being said by me, he relented, "Fine."

"Even if he lives, he won't get off scot-free," I assured him.

Jacob looked at me doubtfully, and asked, "And, how's that?"

I couldn't help but smile as I explained, "It's been proven once before that living without me is a lot worse than dying for Edward," I said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Having to live for an eternity knowing that he lost me...completely...because of his own slip up...he'll never let himself live it down."

Jacob still looked doubtful about what I was saying.

I smiled sweetly and stood up walking over to where he was standing. "Don't you agree that knowing he'll hate himself just as much as  _ **you**_  do every single day, twenty-four seven, for the rest of eternity is a better punishment than death?" I asked.

"Bells..." he spoke in a warning tone.

I ignored him and continued, "I mean, nobody really knows where any one truly goes once they die..."

"Bella..." he said louder this time.

Alright, fine. I guess I have to bring out the big guns now.

I put on my best puppy dog pout expression. "Please, Jake. For me. Let him live and suffer for eternity." I sighed and tried to keep a straight face as I said what I said next, "Plus, 20 year old widow has a bad sound to it, doesn't it?" I asked. "You don't want me to have to live with that title for the rest of my life do you?" I pouted a little bit more. "That would make me so sad all the time."

Jacob shook his head at me. "You are playing dirty, Bella," he said, narrowing his eyes.

I batted my eyelashes and didn't even try to deny it. "Yes, I am. I grinned. "But, you know you love it."

Jacob chuckled darkly. "Even dirtier."

"Yeah, I know," I agreed. "So, will you please just let me handle the punishment?" I asked, smiling innocently at him.

"If I ever see him again after you send him away, I  _ **will**_  kill him," he threatened.

I nodded my head in understanding. "So, it's settled, then?"

"As much as I'd rather it not be...yes, it is."

I smiled triumphantly. "Alright, so now that that's out of the way...can you please be happy and actually show that you're happy about the fact that I chose you?"

In the next moment, I was in his arms, and he was kissing me all over my face.

I'll take that as a yes.

**~MP~**

The next day, I had some important errands to run in Port Angeles. When I returned home, I called Edward and asked him to meet me. Of course, it wasn't surprising when he agreed right away, and was even on his way over already. If only he knew what he was walking into.

Once, I knew exactly when to expect him, I made my way out back to the shed where Charlie kept all of his tools. I looked around until I found the one I was looking for. Then, I made my way back into the house and waited patiently for Edward to arrive.

Right on time, Edward pulled into the driveway.

Crowbar in hand, I made my way outside to meet him.

His eyes instantly landed on the crowbar. "What's that for?" he asked, curiously.

I just smiled innocently at him and walked to the other side of the car.

"This," I said, swinging the crowbar like a baseball bat and breaking the passenger side window of his stupid silver Volvo. "Is for trying to kill me."

I couldn't help but feel slightly satisfied when I saw his eyes widen and jaw drop in shock.

Yeah, take that you asshole!

"Bella!" he called out, but I ignored him.

I moved back to the rear passenger side window and did the same. "And, this is for lying to me!"

I made my way around the car breaking every window there was with an explanation for each.

"And, this is for keeping me from Jacob!"

"And, this is actually for Jacob because I know he wanted to kill you for trying to kill me, but I convinced him not to."

"Bella..." Edward started, walking towards me.

"Don't you dare!" I warned him, holding up the Crowbar. "Next up, I start crow-barring certain not so nice words into the car. And, unlike windows, that isn't as easy to fix."

"Bella, please...let me explain."

I scoffed. "Explain what?" I asked in disbelief. "Explain how you let your stupid possessiveness almost get me killed and did, in fact, ruin the past two years of my life?"

"Bella..."

"Screw you!" I hissed at him. "I've got something for you, too," I said, stalking past him and going back into the house.

Moments later, I walked back out with papers and a pen.

"What are those?" Edward asked me.

"Annulment papers," I answered slamming them down on the hood of his car. "Now, sign them!" I ordered, holding out the pen.

"Bella, I love you. I always will," Edward said, trying to stall for whatever reason.

"Save it!" I yelled. "Just sign."

"Can I hear you say it one last time before it's over completely?" he asked.

Seriously? The nerve of this jackass!

"Will you actually sign if I do?" I asked him.

At this point, I would do just about anything to get him to leave my life for good.

He nodded and smiled briefly. "I promise.

"Fine," I said, rolling my eyes. "Even though, I hate myself for it...I love you, too. And, more than likely, a part of me always will," I forced myself to say.

God. It was awful saying just saying it. Things had definitely changed and would never be the same with us ever again. This right here was total proof of that.

"You can't be serious!" an angry voice hissed from behind me.

Oh, god. No. Please, no.

Slowly, I turned around, and my worst nightmare was confirmed.

Of course, he'd show up now. And, he probably got the wrong impression of it all.

"Jake, please...it's not what..." I started to explain.

He shook his head. "Don't!" he hissed. "I should have known," he spat, anger and hurt evident in his voice.

"Jake, please!" I tried again.

"And, after everything he did to you! You still choose him again."

"No, Jake...I..."

"Just forget it, Bella," he shook his head and turned away.

"Jacob!" I cried out, but it was too late.

He turned and disappeared into the woods.

Oh, god.

What the hell was wrong with me and my luck lately?

When I looked back at Edward, I saw a smirk on his face.

The second he noticed I was looking, the smirk disappeared.

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed as realization dawned on me. "You knew he was here!"

"Sorry," Edward fake apologized, playing the innocent role.

What an asshole!

I shook my head in disbelief. "I can't believe I fell for that!" I hissed through clenched teeth, turning to glare at Edward. "Sign the damn papers! And, get the hell out of my life!"

I was really starting to rethink asking Jacob not to kill him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, please don't hate me. I promise things will work out in the end.
> 
> Just a heads up everyone, next chapter will be the last.
> 
> Next/Final Chapter; Bella goes to set things straight with Jacob. Also, Bella has a surprise...or two for Jake!


	13. Chapter 12 - Putting Together the Pieces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here we are! The final chapter of Missing Pieces. I hope you all enjoyed the story and like how it ends. Thank you so much for everyone who stuck with me on this story's journey. It means so much to me. It really does.

I was seething with anger towards Edward.

If he cost me my chance with Jacob, I would personally kill him myself. With a crowbar, gasoline, and a lighter, I could easily make that happen. It would be somewhat difficult, most likely, but I'd manage. After all, if that was the case, and he had cost me Jacob once and for all, then really I'd have nothing left to lose. So, I'd make sure Edward did die even if he took me with him.

But, hopefully that's just me over thinking the situation. 'Cause it would truly suck if it actually came down to that.

"Just sign the papers, Edward!" I hissed at him.

"But, I love you, Bella," he argued, playing the innocent and just in [love card](http://trickyraven.ning.com/group/ff-missing-pieces/forum/topics/chapter-12-putting-together-the-pieces?xg_source=activity) to it's fullest.

I shook my head in disbelief, and stared straight at him. "If you really love me..." I started, trying to be as convincing as possible. "You'll sign the papers and let me go."

"Bella..." he started to protest.

I held up a hand, cutting him off. "No, Edward! Let me go. You holding on is only hurting and going continue to hurt us both more."

Please, God! Let him give up easily. Just make him somehow sign those papers! I'm begging you!

"Oh, there is a God!" I exclaimed out loud when Edward actually signed the papers without another word of protest.

Thank you, God!

Once he signed the papers, I took them and smiled, before heading back towards the house.

"Just let me go get your ring, and then we can both go our separate ways."

**~MP~**

After I had the signed papers, I made a quick stop at the lawyer's [office](http://trickyraven.ning.com/group/ff-missing-pieces/forum/topics/chapter-12-putting-together-the-pieces?xg_source=activity) to give my lawyer the papers. The sooner this marriage was annulled the better. Even though, that meant waiting for a few months or so for the papers to get processed. But, at least, I could sleep easier knowing that they were being processed now and I was on my way to no longer having anymore attachment to Edward.

Thank god!

Once everything that needed to be done there was done, I wasted no time rushing to La Push. I was hoping and [praying](http://trickyraven.ning.com/group/ff-missing-pieces/forum/topics/chapter-12-putting-together-the-pieces?xg_source=activity) the whole way there that Jacob would actually listen to me and let me explain. it would be so awful if me falling for one of Edward's evil tricks ended up costing me Jacob. After everything that we'd been through together, I couldn't imagine losing him again over something so stupid.

The second I parked my truck in front of the house, I was out and pounding on the front door. I didn't even take the time to turn the truck off. Quite frankly, I couldn't care less about the truck. I was just so worried that it was too late to prove to Jacob that I really did choose him and that I really did want him. It was him. God, it was him!

I was so far into my own little world that I didn't even notice that Jacob had answered the door. That is until I fell forward into him because I had been leaning on the door prior to. Of course, my clumsiness would get in the way at such an important time as this one.

After correcting myself, and standing up straight, I breathed out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god! You're here."

"What do you want, Bella?" he asked, his voice all but kind.

"Jake, listen to me, please!" I begged him.

"Why?" he asked, angry and hurt. "So, you can tell me you changed your mind and you've chosen him again."

"Oh, god. Jake! It wasn't what it sounded like," I tried to tell him.

"It sure seemed like it was."

I sighed an exasperated sigh. Apparently, this was going to be just as difficult as I had hoped it wouldn't.

"Jacob Black!" I exclaimed. "I have something to say to you. So, shut up and listen to me, damn it!" I said in a tone a lot harsher than I had planned.

But, in my defense, pleading just didn't seem to be working well for me.

Jacob's eyes were wide and I could tell that he was stunned by my reaction.

Well, at least, I got his attention.

"It's you, Jacob! Okay. It's always been you. It will always be you."

"Why was  ** _he_  **there then?" he asked, still hurt and angry, but willing to actually listen to me now.

I sighed and answered, explaining everything so that he wouldn't end up taking anything the wrong way again, "To finally give us both closure. I went to my lawyer's earlier and got the annulment papers. Then, when I got back home I called Edward and asked him to come over. But, only so he could sign the papers and we could both move on with our lives."

He stood there silently, arms crossed, listening to me. "Why did you tell him you loved him?"

"He tricked me into it," I confessed.

Jacob raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Tricked you?"

I nodded my head. "Yes, he knew you were close by, so he said he wanted to hear me say it one more time before he signed the papers." I shook my head in disbelief. "And, I stupidly fell for it."

"So what he wanted to get the last laugh, then?"

I shook my head. "Sort of. Well, okay, not exactly," I answered. "It was more to get back at me than it was to hurt you. That was just a bonus to him."

"What do you mean?"

"If you had come just a few minutes earlier you would've witnessed my attack on his car," I was laughing by time I said the last word.

"What did you do?"

"I took a crowbar to all of the windows," I laughed. "And, he witnessed it all."

When I heard Jacob laughing, too, I knew that things were okay between us again.

I was so relieved.

But, my relief was short lived there for a moment.

Jacob suddenly reached down, grabbed my arm, and lifted it up.

"Why do you still have this on?" he growled.

I looked down to see the charm Edward gave me still on me bracelet.

"Oh, right!" I grinned widely.

Jacob looked confused. "What?"

"I've got a surprise for you," I told him, gleefully.

He frowned. "A surprise?" he asked, sounding disinterested.

I rolled my eyes. "Get over yourself," I chuckled. "I'm sure you'll love it," I said, pulling my phone out of my pocket. "I just need to make a call real quick."

"Okay."

When he didn't make any effort to move, I moved out of the way.

"You can go wait in the truck," I said. "I can't let you overhear this call."

He looked doubtful, but nodded his head, and walked past me to the truck.

"Don't you dare use your super hearing and ruin my surprise!" I called after him.

Jacob turned back and winked at me. "I promise I won't."

Now I was the doubtful one. "You better not," I replied in a threatening tone.

Just to be a little bit on the safer side, I went inside the house and closed the door to make my call.

**~MP~**

An hour and a half later, I pulled into an unfamiliar driveway.

"Bella, what are we doing here?" Jacob asked, giving me a confused look.

"Look," I smiled, pointing out the windshield.

"What am I look..." Jacob started, but was cut off abruptly when he saw what I was pointing out.

I couldn't stop the satisfied feeling that ran through me as I saw Jacob's facial expression go from confused to looking like a lit up Christmas tree in a matter of seconds.

He turned back to me, eyes wide and jaw dropped. "How?"

I grinned. "I bought it back."

"With what?"

I lifted my arm to show him Edward's charm. "I traded the charm for the car."

"Seriously?" he asked, shocked.

I nodded my head, and answered, "You mean more to me than he ever did. And, if this isn't proof of that, then I don't know what is."

He smiled just as the soon to be old owner of the Rabbit came out of his house.

"Wait!" I called out as Jacob went to get out of the truck.

He paused and turned back to me. "Yeah?"

"One more thing, Jake," I said, moving closer to him on the seat.

He raised an eyebrow, curious as to what I was doing.

I leaned in close to him and grinned, "I love you."

For the next minute or two, Jacob was shocked and frozen in place.

I couldn't help but giggle. "Jake? Earth to Jacob?" I laughed, waving my hand in front of his face.

Suddenly, before I could even blink he was kissing me.

Of course, I kissed back.

Minutes passed, before we pulled away.

"I love you, Jacob," I said again with a grin so wide that my face actually kind of hurt. "Well, actually, correction. I am  ** _in_**  love with you."

Jacob grinned back just as widely. "I love you, too, Bells."

He kissed me once more before jumping out of the truck and running over to the Rabbit as if it was Christmas morning and he just got the best present ever.

And, just like that, all of the missing pieces fell into place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, there you have it. The end of Missing Pieces!


End file.
